Final Fantasy 7 - Finished Business
by Blaze163
Summary: As his home town burns around him, one man rushes to face his destiny, fueled by vengeance and the memory of an age-old promise. But with the smallest of changes, something as simple as one strike being a few inches higher than Fate had intended, his destiny and those of everyone around him are send down a different path, and a new tale unfolds...
1. Prologue

**Prologue.**

His chest was pounding, his breathing erratic, muscles aching as he ran through the streets, leaping over burning debris from the crumbling houses in his frantic search for survivors. He had seen many things on his travels, but never such dark hearted butchery of innocent civilians. Dozens of good people lay dead in his path, cut down by either the inferno or the lethal blade of the madman that now stalked these streets. Many still burned in their doorways; the smell of scorched flesh filling his head, a smell he would never forget and hoped with every fibre of his being was never inflicted on anyone else. This was more than death. This was the stench of treachery.

Stumbling into the main square, he was filled with hope at the sight that awaited him. A small group of survivors had escaped the blaze, running for the safety of the outskirts, carrying the wounded with them. A young man knelt down beside a dying young woman, his fingertips aglow as his healing magic pulsed through her body, creating energy barriers to stop the internal bleeding threatening her life. Her breathing slowed and she smiled at her benefactor as he moved on to another, an old man with huge gashes across his chest, led in a pool of blood as he struggled to hang on to his life. The young man cursed as he found his spell to be too little too late, his strength waning leaving him unable to continue.

A scream pierced the nightmare and everyone whirled to face the source, instantly regretting it. The silver haired madman's impossibly long blade impaled another innocent man through the chest, dark crimson seeping along the viciously sharp edge as the victim choked and struggled in his last few moments, cast aside with a deft flick of the madman's wrist as his body became nought but an empty shell.

The silver haired murderer turned to face them, raising his arm to send out powerful magical orbs that sought out the terrified survivors as they ran for the town's exit. The glowing ice blue orbs thudded into the innocents as they dove for cover, vaporising flesh and bone as the few survivors fell to the floor, survivors no more. One last orb hurtled towards the kneeling healer as he screamed his rage into the sky, leaping to his feet and deflecting the deadly magic with his vast blade. The sword barely withstood the onslaught, the steel left scorched but its wielder unharmed, his breath ragged as his efforts to save the town began to take their toll, now found to be mostly in vain.

He turned to look upon them and his lips curled into a twisted smile. He knew he could finish them at any moment, but what would be the sport in that? Besides, he had more important matters to attend to. He turned into the flames and strode through with no fear, as if he knew the flames themselves feared him.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One - Reprisal**

Deep within the twisted paths of Mount Nibel, a lone Shinra grunt charged recklessly along ancient paths he knew from painful experience to be dangerous. But only one danger was on his mind, the danger she must be in at that very moment. He clutched his standard issue assault rifle, now low on ammo thanks to the many monsters that pursued him, knowing that his chances of making a difference were slim at best given who his opponent would be, but he would face him nonetheless. He had promised, so long ago.

She had been foolish to challenge him. Brave beyond measure, but foolish. Only fortune had prevented her from meeting her doom, and had not been enough to save her from serious injury. His healing magic had been enough to keep her alive, for now at least. She still had the spirit to insult him. Whatever kept her in this world, it was stronger than the thoughtless rage of her attacker. Drawing his Buster Sword, the dark haired warrior stepped through the doors, preparing to face his old friend. One way or another, this would end here and now.

The core of the mako reactor shook with the sounds of the battle of champions blazing within. As he ran to the aid of his friend, the cacophony reached its climax and the dark haired warrior was sent flying through the steel doors leading to the core, his blade spinning into the room and burying itself in one of the thick cables stemming from the mako infusion chambers. Shielding himself from the blast, the guard ran to the side of his badly wounded friend, grabbing bandages from the pouch at his hip.

"Zack, are you alright? What can I do to help?" the young guard stuttered, his nerves close to breaking point. The young man brushed the dark hair from his friend's eyes, hair now matted with blood from multiple wounds. Zack nodded slowly, struggling to sit up as he took the bandages from his friend. He pointed towards his sword with a bloodied finger, knowing his friend would understand.

"What about Tifa? Is she alright?"

"I see there's no distracting you, Cloud. Maybe if we get out of this alive, you can tell me the whole story. She's wounded, but stable. Take care of Sephiroth for me. I'll keep her safe for you."

With that Cloud wrenched his friend's treasured Buster Sword from the power cables, struggling to carry the immensely heavy blade. With hatred and vengeance burning bright in his eyes, he stepped through the broken doors, most likely to his own death, staring up at the man who had been his hero.

With an almost deafening crash, the metallic statue was hurled to the floor, revealing the true purpose of the reactor's core. Encased in faintly glowing liquid, the creature contained within the tube was unlike anything that he had ever been seen, a twisting, warped wall of exposed flesh and veins, cruel eyes completing a cold, emotionless face, wrapped in strangely delicate white hair. Hair just like that of his target.

Sephiroth. The legendary Soldier First Class said to be impossible to defeat. His long sword by his side, the means by which much of the town had been brutally murdered, the silver blade dripping with blood, probably that of Tifa and Zack. The blood of his closest friends, apparently so worthless to Sephiroth that it didn't even necessitate cleaning the blade. Much like the blood of his mother, who had been found among the dead back in Nibelhiem.

Sephiroth had not even noticed him, stood there talking to whatever the creature within the tank was. Perhaps the opportunity Cloud needed. He let his rage fill his every thought. He thought of Zack, brave defender of the innocent who lay dying in the next room. His mother, his only family, everyone he had ever known from childhood, torn apart before his very eyes. Tifa, the girl who never left his thoughts, gravely injured and in need of the heroic rescue he had promised her under the stars that night.

His anger overflowed and unlocked powers within him he never knew existed. Lifting the sword almost effortlessly, he thrust it deep into his enemy, piercing straight through Sephiroth's entire body and into the glass of the containment tank. He felt the blade tear through vital organs, blood gushing forth from both sides of the wound, trickling down the side of the glass. As Sephiroth gasped in shock, Cloud forced the blade even further into his back, twisting it to increase the pain.

"This is for my family. My friends. My town. I looked up to you. You were my hero as a child. Now you'll die as nothing more than a murderer."

As Cloud retracted the bloodied tip of the Buster Sword, his fallen hero turned to face him, reaching for his sword to strike back. Before he could enact his vengeance, Cloud swung his blade down from high in one final powerful strike, watching the shock spark in Sephiroth's eyes as the sharp edge of the sword dealt the finishing blow, slicing cleanly through flesh and bone from shoulder to hip. The glow in his enemy's eyes slowly dimmed as he grasped at the air, falling to his knees as his heartbeat began to fail, his last few moments spent staring into the face of his killer.

Sirens wailed through the highest levels of Shinra Tower as men in white coats scrambled to confirm what they prayed was just a rumour. Red alarm lights flashed through the entire medical facility, the tension so immense even the senior staff seemed moments away from screaming. Dozens of computer banks whirred and hummed as satellites were repositioned to survey the scene. As one lowly technician rerouted the images to the vast main display along the north wall, tension gave way to despair, the whole room suddenly silent.

The internal cameras mounted high on the walls of the mako reactor had recorded every moment. From the fight with Zack to his last agonising breaths, these were the final moments of the most powerful warrior to have ever lived. The composite of thousands of hours of research in biotechnology, Cetran history, martial arts, every aspect that had made him a legend. But now there was no doubt. Though his closest rival had failed, one lowly grunt had succeeded.

Sephiroth was dead.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two - Regeneration**

His task completed, his rage fuelled strength began to fade. His arms grew weaker, the sword suddenly much too heavy to carry. He let it drop with a thud next to the body of his prey, now cold and lifeless on the floor, surrounded by blood. As he staggered back to his friends, he felt a great wave of satisfaction crash over him. The man who had caused the death of so many innocent people had been put to death. His family had been avenged. And his friends were safe.

Zack nodded in respect as he struggled to his feet, now wrapped in bandages, his breathing slowed. His eyes revealed his intense internal conflict, both relieved and distressed. Though the battle was necessary, he had still lost a friend and idol. He had failed in his duty to deal with Sephiroth himself, had lost the battle, and had almost paid for his failure with his life.

"Thanks Cloud. I owe you one. Your girl's safe, just like I promised. She should be coming around soon. Go to her. You're the hero this time, after all."

Cloud breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, reaching up to release the clasps on his helmet and casting it aside, his blonde spiky hair flattened and dripping with sweat from his exertions. He wiped away the worst with his sleeve and knelt beside Tifa, still out cold but in no immediate danger. He moved her back to a more comfortable position, resting her against one of the mako infusion pods, and her eyes slowly flickered open. She looked up at him and blinked a few times, smiling as he came into focus.

"You came to save me, didn't you? Just like you promised." she whispered, her voice weak. He nodded and smiled back.

"Sorry I was a little late."

She gazed longingly into his deep blue eyes and her smile broadened. "You came for me when I was in a pinch. That's all that matters." She winced as she pulled herself up to kiss him softly, smiled, slumped against the pod and closed her eyes, unable to stay awake a moment longer.

Zack stumbled over to join them and began casting his healing spell on her, the shimmering green light surging into her wounds, binding them together. It was still only a temporary measure, she would require a proper medical facility to fully recover, but this would keep her stable for a few hours. Zack's injuries would also require medical attention, but the sheer grit granted to him by his training in Soldier seemed enough to keep him on his feet for now. As Tifa slept, the friends surveyed the scene in the core, silently paying their respects to the man Sephiroth had been before this all began.

Zack reached for his sword, wincing as the pain in his ribs flared, looking upon his fallen comrade. Such a tragic loss, not only to Shinra and Soldier, but the world. Fear of this man had prevented wars that would have cost thousands of lives, put an end to the conflict with Wutai, inspired many young men to join Soldier and protect the innocent. They could only hope that the newscasters honoured the man Sephiroth had been instead of portraying him as nothing more than a psychopathic murderer. Even after a tragedy such as this, he still deserved some honour. Zack reached down and gently brushed his old friend's eyes closed, returning his sword to the straps on his back and turning to leave in silence.

Cloud could understand why his friend was in conflict, but he certainly did not share Zack's desire for things to be different. As far as he was concerned, this man had brutally murdered innocent civilians. Not just strangers either. These people had been his friends, his family, his entire origins, ripped from this world without remorse. It was true he never knew Sephiroth as well as Zack. Firsts tended to keep to themselves, they rarely socialised with the grunts, save for Zack of course. But no legends from his past were enough to balance what Sephiroth had done here today. He was a murderer. Nothing more. Cloud felt no remorse as he turned to leave, only satisfaction. He resolved to keep this feeling to himself, if only for the sake of Zack's feelings, but he knew Tifa would understand. She had lost just as much, her family, her home, her childhood friends, everything. All they had now was each other.

He smiled as he left the core, watching as Shinra medical staff swarmed into the facility to load Tifa onto a stretcher and escort Zack to the helicopters waiting to take them to Midgar. They would be ok. For now that was enough. He took his place by Tifa's side as she was lifted into the medical helicopter, clutching her hand as she slept. She may only have him left, but he would do everything in his power to make sure that was enough.

Nobody would have volunteered for this task. Speaking to professor Hojo was never an exciting prospect at the very best of times. Now it was the very worst of times, and a lowly security guard was tasked with informing the professor that Sephiroth had been killed. The legendary hero had just been confirmed dead by field medical teams sent to investigate the Nibelhiem incident. Their reports had just been received from the core of the mako reactor, where they confirmed what internal security cameras had shown, the apparently invincible Sephiroth impaled through the back by the weapon of his comrade Zack Fair, a fellow Soldier.

Information was sketchy for such lowly members of the company as himself, but rumours had begun to spread around that Zack wasn't actually the killer. The rumours said that another lowly guard had taken Zack's sword after the Soldier had been defeated and caught Sephiroth off guard. These rumours were mostly dismissed. After all how could a grunt sneak up on Sephiroth, especially with a weapon like the Buster Sword? Zack was well known for the size of his weapon of choice, most of the security force at least knew of him, if not knew him personally as he alone made the effort to get to know the grunts. No way could a grunt kill a Soldier.

He knocked on professor Hojo's door and stood to attention. How he was ever getting through this meeting was beyond him. As the footsteps beyond the door grew closer, he swallowed his fear and sucked in his chest. The life of the grunt was never easy. But this was the time to show his mettle.

The sight of Midgar used to fill Shinra troops with pride. The immense Shinra Tower rising from the very centre of the city was always a grand reminder of Shinra's achievements, their technical marvels such as the mako reactors powering the city, greatly increasing the quality of life for the citizens of Midgar, bringing peace and stability to thousands.

To feel a part of such an organisation once filled Zack with a sense of purpose. Today it filled him only with sadness. Returning to headquarters as the man rumoured to have killed Sephiroth, a hero to all. Nobody believed that Cloud had dealt the final blow. Perhaps this was for the best. Killing Sephiroth would no doubt attract much unwanted attention from those who had idolised him, his many fan clubs, the Shinra executives. Everyone would want answers, maybe even reprisals for the death of their hero, especially since Shinra would no doubt cover up the truth of Nibelhiem from everyone. At least the general populace would lack the courage to fight a Soldier First Class. Cloud would be torn apart.

Tearing his eyes from the tower, he looked over at Cloud, his uniform singed from the fire but otherwise unharmed, sat by Tifa's stretcher, clutching her hand as she slept. Her injuries were severe but nothing the Shinra medical staff couldn't handle. It would seem she was the girl Cloud had mentioned from time to time, the girl from his village who occupied his thoughts. It was wonderful that he had someone. Pulling his phone from a pocket on his uniform, he found a message waiting for him. It warmed his heart to see it was from his own sweetheart.

'My flowers are getting quite popular. The cart was almost empty coming home this afternoon. Maybe I should set up a store at my church. See you soon!'

She'd signed with a kiss as always, knowing it would make him smile. He had been so caught up in his personal turmoil he had almost forgotten he'd be able to see her again. No matter what happened, he'd survived to spend another day with her. She would make everything alright again. She always did.

The medical staff had been ready and waiting on the helipads for their arrival, rushing Tifa off to the most advanced facilities in the world, with Cloud refusing to leave her side of course, insisting that he would report for a medical exam as soon as he knew she was safe. Zack slowly made his way towards his own medical support, his legs still uneasy. He could see his friends Tseng and Cissnei across the pad, members of the Turks he had worked with before, waiting to see him arrive safely home. Cissnei waved sweetly at him, her long crimson hair whipping wildly in the winds that buffeted the tower, with Tseng opting for a simple nod. After all that had happened, it was good to know he still had friends.

The medics scanned him fully and decided that his natural regenerative abilities, already enhanced by his mako infusion as a member of Soldier, would be enough for a good recovery. They instructed him to rest and relax, insisting they would put in an order for some well earned vacation time to his superiors. As they left for the medical wing, Zack looked back to see the second chopper arrive, and the president had come down to meet it personally. No doubt it carried Sephiroth's body. No doubt he was to be given a hero's funeral.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three - Contemplation**

After a few more thorough scans to confirm that his injuries were regenerating sufficiently, Zack had been ordered to rest and relax in the medical wing, not to leave until he had been fully debriefed by his superiors, nor was he to discuss the events of Nibelhiem with anyone. The matter had been deemed classified, top level clearance only. Clearly the executives wanted to keep everything quiet. A part of him understood why they might want to keep Sephiroth's death a secret. The loss of their greatest warrior would make Shinra weak in the eyes of their enemies, such as the remnants of Wutai just waiting for an opening to attack.

But on the other hand, innocent blood had been spilled. The devastated town of Nibelhiem deserved better than to be brushed under the rug like they weren't important, no matter how it affected Shinra's security. These people had been murdered, Cloud's family and friends. What of Tifa? Was she to be simply swept away to conceal the truth?

Still, this was all just conjecture for now. After all, Shinra didn't even have his report yet. He was just imagining things, Tifa would be fine. She had Cloud to protect her. He would never let her be harmed, he would tear down the tower and everyone within to defend her. Once he had given his report the people of Nibelhiem would be honoured the way they deserved. But this seemed to be a no win situation. If the truth was revealed, Shinra could be crippled and Cloud thrown to an angry mob. If Shinra covered it up, they would protect their own interests, but at the cost of the people of Nibelhiem, and no doubt placing the future of the survivors in jeopardy, including Cloud, Tifa and himself.

Stop it, he told himself. Overanalyzing this was stressing him out, not what he needed when trying to recover from serious physical and emotional trauma. He pressed the call button by his bed and demanded the return of his phone. While the green clad orderly initially refused, an oath that he would not discuss his mission with anyone finally won Zack his phone. He saw he had a message from Cissnei waiting for him, but that could wait for now. He had someone else to call. Someone who was better for him than any medical facility.

It only took a few hours for the doctors to work their magic on Tifa's injuries, and soon she found herself recovering in the medical wing. Zack had been called to the Soldier floor shortly after she had regained consciousness, taking Cloud with him as directed. They hadn't been gone long but she was already uneasy. Shinra had just taken everything from her. She didn't want to be anywhere near them ever again.

Still, they had saved her. Well, Cloud had. And he was with Shinra. So they weren't all bad. And Zack had been nothing but kind to her. Cloud had told her of Zack's use of curative magic in an effort to stabilise her back in the reactor. While it was true that Sephiroth had been responsible for the calamity that robbed her of her town, her friends, her entire life. But perhaps there were a few more good people in here. The medics that cared for her, the helicopter pilot that had flown them here all the way from Nibelhiem. Zack had spoken of friends he had here, people he had served with on many missions that he cared for.

Maybe she should not tar all of Shinra with the same brush as Sephiroth. Perhaps those who did whatever was done to him to turn him mad, maybe the executives that allowed it all, but maybe the people of the company were just normal people trying to get by. She couldn't hate them for that.

But nor could she ever forgive those responsible for her suffering and the death of her father. Sephiroth was dead, apparently struck down by Cloud which she found somewhat difficult to believe, but there were others that must be held responsible for their crimes. One day they would be brought to justice. The people of Nibelhiem could never rest in peace while their killers roamed free. She could not allow that.

The Soldier barracks floor was in turmoil. With key members of the command structure still missing and rumours of Sephiroth's death, panic had naturally begun to spread. Zack was now the sole active Soldier First Class, with Angeal dead and Genesis still rogue. The entire floor was packed with the remaining members of Soldier, recalled from across the globe to be on hand should the situation escalate out of control. Zack saw the chaos in their eyes as they wandered around aimlessly, waiting for further orders. He called for attention and the entire floor snapped to rigid posture, their focus entirely on him.

"I'm sure you're all worried, gentlemen. We're on our way to report right now, you'll all be informed of what you need to know shortly. Until then, I suggest you find something a little more constructive to do with your time. Kunsel, you here?" Zack bellowed, making sure everyone heard him. A young man in a purple Second Class uniform stepped forward and nodded to his old friend. "Kunsel, take these greenhorns into the holographic training room. Set up some sort of exercise, maybe a large scale attack on the Shinra building, been a while since we've run them through that. You've got my authorisation to use the room. Keep them busy until they can be more useful."

Kunsel saluted his friend and superior, and began to lead the others through the doors on the far side of the floor. The crowd murmured quietly to themselves as they left but at least they would be making use of their time. Zack allowed himself a grin. Even with all that was happening, they still knew how to follow orders. He pointed towards the office and led the way.

At the peak of the tower, president Shinra sat at his desk, his senior staff gathered around him, his head resting in his palms as he ran over the facts one final time. This was a situation they had all hoped would never happen. The loss of Sephiroth would have been hard enough, but for him to have taken out almost an entire town with him was beyond disastrous. What was worse was the lack of any clear way forward. A cover up would save face regarding Nibelhiem, but how to explain to the masses what happened to Sephiroth? No cover up could prevent the escape of the truth of his disappearance. What then?

Every choice seemed to merely delay the inevitable or simply make the situation even more complex. Zack had returned and given his full report, the truth was known to all senior staff now. The only discrepancy within the report had been that Zack claimed he dealt the final blow while the other man guarded the civilian they had returned with. When presented with the security footage he had explained his covering for his friend and his logic seemed sound. Besides, if the truth was ever made public nobody would believe a lowly and tired guard could have defeated the pride of Shinra so easily.

As he looked upon his senior staff sat at the table opposite, he was dismayed to see them looking as blank as he was. Except for Scarlett and professor Hojo, who seemed deep in thought. Hojo paced up and down, muttering away to himself, sounding quite insane. Scarlett sat quietly, her thoughts strictly internal. The president watched them quietly, pleased that at least somebody had some ideas. He gestured for them to share their thoughts and Hojo ceased his pacing.

"President, my suggestion is obvious. Sephiroth was an incredible asset to this company. We would be foolish to give up on this line of research. There remain promising candidates for the experimental process, we may end up with something greater than Sephiroth. We should hold the remaining Soldier and his murderous companion here, with the civilian girl to keep them in check. They would make excellent specimens."

The president saw at least some logic in what Hojo said, but overall he could not accept it. "I'm afraid I cannot agree with you, professor. Even if you were successful in recreating Sephiroth, what would stop the replacement from discovering the truth of his origins all over again? A warrior of Sephiroth's calibre would have little trouble finding this information if he had cause to look. Sooner or later the truth of this incident will be well known to all. Any replacement would simply be warned to look into things by someone with a grudge against the company and we'd be right back here, if not worse. I should think the only reason Sephiroth is not butchering us all right now is the actions of Zack and his companion. They should be rewarded for seeing to our best interests, not brutalised in your lab for your own twisted machinations."

Hojo snarled and stormed off, clearly not used to rejection, his grubby white lab coat billowing behind him as he slammed the door. President Shinra shook his head and looked upon his staff. "We have caused enough damage for one day, don't you think? I will not allow our saviours and heroes to meet such a fate. They and the girl are to be released without incident. There will be no arguing that point. Scarlett, you seem to have an idea of your own. Care to share it with the rest of us?"

Scarlett nodded slowly and knitted her slender fingers together. "Let's look at this objectively, shall we? What we want to achieve in a perfect world is good public relations. The loss of Sephiroth, the destruction of Nibelhiem, everything would seem to cast us in a bad light. What we require is a way to turn this into something that strengthens us. I see only one way to do that."

A murmur spread through the group until the president raised his hand to silence it. "I see no way in which this can be achieved, Scarlett. Elaborate."

"I know this might sound crazy at first, Mr. President, but please, hear me out. As I see things, the only way we can escape this with our lives and reputations intact is to give the public what they demand. The truth. Albeit a limited version, of course. We acknowledge that Sephiroth burned down Nibelhiem but not why, we claim we never got a chance to find out. We offer to rebuild the town and help the survivors, that shows us to be honest and caring, should keep the majority off our backs, including the girl in the medical wing and her friends. We also acknowledge that Sephiroth is dead, there's no denying it anyway, eventually whatever lies we spin would be unravelled. We show that when Sephiroth went insane for whatever reason, we were on the scene to contain him. Our enemies will know that we have people within our ranks stronger than Sephiroth, their fear of us should remain intact."

President Shinra mused on her logic for a moment. It seemed so obvious. It boiled down to little more than putting a good spin on things. With so few survivors from Nibelhiem it was hardly worth rebuilding the town anyway, they could easily be offered homes in Midgar at minimal cost to the company. By keeping Zack and his companion friendly the company retained a valuable asset in the psychological aspects of diplomacy, enough to keep the Wutai remnants at bay at least. And as Zack had already expressed his interest in the greater good by trying to protect his friend, he would no doubt understand the logic behind the company withholding the nature of Sephiroth's breakdown from the public eye.

"The simplest solutions are always the most elusive. I see only one flaw in your logic. Genesis. He and Zack are the only two First Class Soldiers left, and the only people outside of Hojo's science department that know the full details of the Jenova project. While I should think Zack can be convinced to keep it quiet for the greater good of continued stability, Genesis is still rogue. Science department believes his degeneration is reaching critical levels. If he is to make a move, it will be soon. He would not pass up a chance to cripple us by revealing his origins. Once he is dealt with, the plan seems logistically sound. We should dispatch Zack to finish him off as soon as we can locate him."

The others nodded in approval, with Palmer even chuckling to himself in his usual disturbing manner. Scarlett still seemed deep in thought. "Mr President, with regards to the young man who dealt the final blow, this Cloud Strife, what is to become of him? Perhaps in the interest of good PR we should throw him some sort of bone for his efforts. We keep his killing of Sephiroth a secret, we state that Zack was responsible for reasons Zack himself suggested, and perhaps a promotion of sorts. Killing Sephiroth is no mean feat, perhaps he should be elevated to Soldier, under Zack's tutelage. That way if our enemies should ever discover the truth behind Sephiroth's death, he will still be in a position for them to consider him a threat. And another First Class wouldn't hurt, especially if we're now to eliminate Genesis. Zack can't possibly deal with every problem on his own. Have Zack elevated to head of Soldier where he can be kept close and restore our forces."

Nobody could raise any reasonable objections. President Shinra nodded his approval and tapped a button on his desk to open the intercom system. "Zack Fair, Cloud Strife, report to my office at once. Dress uniforms, if you have them."


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four - Recognition.**

Cloud had never enjoyed wearing his dress uniform. The formality of it all never sat well with him, it felt so cold and unfriendly. Even the colours felt cold to him, the black suit with gold trim just didn't feel quite right. Thankfully Shinra rarely called on such things. Even on parades most grunts still wore standard uniform. The claim was that it was to ease the tensions of the troops for such events, but many suspected that the truth was simply that the company was too cheap to give them to everyone.

Zack was waiting for him in the elevator, also in dress uniform, although clearly the members of Soldier had their uniforms tailored as it fit him much better. He looked over at Cloud and stifled a chuckle over his constant squirming and fidgeting.

"Take it you've never been introduced to the big cheese before, huh."

Cloud looked over at him, his nerves close to breaking point already. "That obvious, is it? Only ever seen him twice, both times on parades so naturally he couldn't tell me apart from the hundreds of other faceless grunts there. What about you? I guess a Soldier First Class is like the president's right hand. You must have met him plenty of times."

Zack shook his head and laughed. "Not so much. Our orders were always related through director Lazard, before he disappeared. The president only ever troubled himself with Sephiroth, Angeal once or twice. Never me. I'm just as nervous as you."

Cloud paused for a moment. He hadn't quite expected Zack to admit being nervous, he never had before. Then in dawned on him that it was all a fabrication to make him feel better. In fact he vaguely recalled Zack talking to him about a meeting with the president some months ago. "You're lying to make me feel better, aren't you? You're not nervous at all."

Zack smiled and laughed a little more. "That obvious, is it?"

The top floors were certainly luxurious as Cloud had expected. Gleaming marble floors and elegant crimson drapes throughout left little room for doubt that this was a place for the top brass. Zack led the way up the winding staircase to the president's desk where he sat waiting, the typical man in power in terms of appearance. Overweight, balding, a life of luxury that had been a little too good to him. Sat at his desk which seemed suspiciously short of the paperwork usually associated with men of his stature, he smiled and gestured for them to approach. They saluted and stood to attention in front of the desk, but he insisted that they stand at ease.

"Please relax, gentlemen. I understand your nerves given the nature of this problem. Rest assured, you're not here to be punished."

Cloud breathed an audible sigh of relief, only to realise his mistake and apologise. Zack shook his head in exasperation but the president dismissed the incident. "No need to stand on ceremony today. You're welcomed back as heroes, not on trial. I'm sure you'll both be pleased to know that you are to be promoted for your actions in this incident. Zack Fair, for your bravery and outstanding ability, you are to become director of the Soldier task force. We need your expertise to rebuild our devastated elites back to full strength. With that in mind, your good friend Cloud is to be promoted to Soldier First Class with immediate effect."

As Cloud beamed with pride, Zack could only look confused. "With all due respect to both Cloud and yourself sir, I'm confused. Cloud has yet to pass any of the training necessary to become First Class, and with the facilities in such disarray there is nobody to train him."

"There's you. I understand your concerns, but this is where Cloud needs to be. It will be up to you to get him up to speed."

Zack continued to look perplexed. "Again, with all due respect, is this title honorary for the sake of public relations or in recognition of potential, sir?"

The president nodded sagely. Clearly the Soldier training paid off in every area. "A little of both. While it is true that granting Cloud the rank of First Class is something of a political move, his contributions to this company and innate talents cannot be ignored. Defeating Sephiroth was no easy task, one which will be kept secret if you wish by the way, Cloud. Your talents must be recognised. While I recognise your training will be arduous, I believe that you have what it takes. You both do. As a team you would be unstoppable."

Cloud nodded slowly as it all began to sink in, glad that his promotion was more than a publicity stunt. Now he could take Tifa home having fulfilled his promise to her, and his childhood dream. Wherever home would be for them now, that is. A frown crept across his features as he began to realise how much had been lost.

"I see the look on your face, Cloud. Worried for your lady friend in the medical wing. Don't be. We're arranging permanent accommodation for the three of you, here in Midgar while we look into rebuilding Nibelhiem. Go to her. Tell her the good news. I have a few things to discuss with Zack in private. Congratulations, Soldier First Class Strife."

With that Cloud turned to leave, only for Zack to playfully punch him in the arm. "Hey, I'm your boss now. Don't take it personal if I'm a little hard on you." he said with a cheeky grin.

A few floors down, scientists busied themselves with their latest works, peering into microscopes and monitors as they continued their search for whatever truths they sought. The entire floor was lit by the eerie glow of the energy field covering the central elevator, usually reserved for the more volatile creatures used in the less ethical tests. The central control room above teemed with an endless mass of white coats, tending to the various dials and levers.

The peace was shattered as professor Hojo returned from his meeting, shoving aside his co-workers and kicking random storage units as he fumed to himself. His normally cold and emotionless face was twisted with an uncontrollable rage and those who had served under him for months knew to stay out of his way. Evidently his request for new specimens had been denied. As he stormed into the control room, the senior staff acknowledged his arrival with curt nods, staying out of harm's way.

"It would seem we will not be receiving any new specimens this time. Not just yet, at least. Jenova's containment cell is to be moved here, we will begin researching exactly what went wrong with Sephiroth. Iron out the flaws in the project for his successor."

The Soldier floor seemed eerily silent considering just a few minutes ago it had been a sea of chaotic thought. The dull thrum of the power generators fuelling the holographic training rooms and the muffled chatter emanating from various research rooms investigating new technologies was a welcome reminder that the floor wasn't entirely deserted, but he couldn't help but feel a little stunned at the sudden change.

Or perhaps he was shocked at realising that he wasn't here as a messenger or a security guard any more. He was here as an equal. Perhaps not proven yet, but he had been given his chance at last. This was his time to show what he was truly capable of. It would be a long and painful process, but he'd come too far to give into fear now. A young man in a light blue uniform called him over and pointed to the supply room, to a bank of lockers and tubes jutting from the walls. He saluted and left Cloud to his thoughts.

It was a curious sensation, being saluted by the people he had been saluting only a few days before. A part of him wanted to laugh out loud then spend a month or two grinning. But the voice in his head kept telling him he hadn't earned that salute. That this was all a lie, a publicity stunt and nothing more. He wasn't a real Soldier. At least not yet. But he knew if he worked hard and gave this his all, one day he would earn that salute. He would be a Soldier in everyone's eyes, both earned and proved.

Examining the row of material transfer tubes on the wall, he found a package waiting for him, sent hurtling through the network of tubes running through whole building from the storage facilities in the basement. Inside the box lay his new uniform, the dark blue of a Soldier First Class. A note from the store rooms explained that this was just a temporary uniform until his personally tailored replacement was available as it could take days to create. His new dog tags lay under the note, including a new silver chain to keep them around his neck. The black emblem of Soldier stood out on the silver of the tags, his name and rank engraved beneath. Another note lay at the bottom of the package, requesting that he report to the armoury with Zack as soon as they were both free, and from there to the materia storage room.

As he slipped into his uniform and hung his new tags around his neck, his doubts dissipated into nothingness. Whether it was a stunt or not, it was official now. He was a Soldier. He'd done what he set out to do. He'd even kept his promise to Tifa along the way. Where he went from here, who could tell? But he was a Soldier now. The sky was the limit. He would endeavour to be the best he could be. Someone Tifa would be proud of. Someone his mother would have been proud of. To honour her memory and those of the people of Nibelhiem, he would be a hero.

Zack was once again waiting for him by the elevator, smirking as Cloud fidgeted in his new uniform. Despite his obvious nervousness, Cloud actually looked much better in the Soldier uniform than he ever had in his old guard outfit. He somehow looked natural in it, he belonged in that uniform.

"Comfortable?" he muttered as Cloud continued to adjust his collar.

"This is everything I ever wanted. I would've preferred to earn this uniform. But I'm not gonna give up now. I'll just have to earn this uniform while I'm in it."

Zack smiled, pleased to see his friend maintaining such optimism. "A great way to look at it. Gives you something to work towards, keep you focussed. If there's one thing a First needs, its determination. Looks like you're well on your way already."

As the elevator sped towards the medical wing, Cloud thought on what the president had said about his potential as a Soldier. Maybe he really did have what it took. He had applied to Soldier before but had been deemed lacking due to a lack of confidence. By killing Sephiroth he had shown his true colours, his inner strength and determination. Maybe the president was telling the truth, that his potential had finally been recognised. And if not, he would make it recognised.

"You looking forward to seeing her again? You'll be walking through that door as her hero, Cloud. She's a great girl, clearly cares about you a lot."

"I used to think I didn't deserve her. That's why I joined Shinra. I thought if I could be a hero like Sephiroth, I could win her heart. Funny how things work out."

"Seems to me you had her heart all along. I wasn't actually gonna tell you this, but she was asking for you when we arrived in Nibelhiem. Wanted to know if her hero had come home. Like you said, funny how things work out. Might not be exactly how you saw it happening, but any way you look at it, you're a hero now. And not just to Tifa. If Sephiroth had escaped, he'd have killed hundreds more, including me. Your actions saved Tifa, me, everyone. You're more of a hero than you realise."

The elevator arrived at the medical wing and the thick metal doors parted. As the two stepped out, Zack grabbed his friend's shoulder, holding him back for one last moment.

"Remember what I told you, Cloud. Embrace your dreams. You're a hero, a Soldier, and an honourable man. You've dreamed of this moment since you were a kid. You've earned every second of it. Now embrace another of your dreams. The girl of your dreams."


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five - Eternity**

The medical wing was almost silent, the sound of their footsteps echoing through the sparkling white hallways as they made their way to Tifa's room. A few nurses darted through the hallways attending to their duties and patients, cleaning and sterilizing their equipment or dealing with the mountains of paperwork cluttering up the reception desk. One of the nurses, a rather cute brunette, smiled at Zack as they passed. Cloud shot him a quizzical look and shook his head.

Tifa was sat on the edge of her bed, still in the brown cowgirl outfit she had been wearing in Nibelhiem, now washed and repaired by the staff. Locked deep in her thoughts, almost certainly of her home and family judging by the sadness in her eyes, she barely heard their approach. As their footfalls grew closer she looked up and her sadness turned to joy at seeing Cloud. Leaping from her bed she ran to meet them, throwing herself into his arms. As she ran her hands across the back of his neck to pull him in for another kiss, she noticed the silver chain and followed it to his new tags.

"You made Soldier?" she squealed, her voice almost alien in pitch with overexcitement. He nodded and she hugged him tighter. "Not just my hero then."

He ran his hand down the soft skin of her cheek and looked deep into her hazel eyes, now almost tearful with the overwhelming vortex of emotions that vied for attention in her mind. "I'm all yours." he said, and pressed his lips to hers as his friend smiled in the doorway.

The doctors soon gave them all clearance to leave, the final effects of the incident being two weeks paid vacation for the Soldiers and a few nasty scars between the trio. Tifa had insisted that they leave the tower as quickly as possible, understandable as Sephiroth's body still lay in the restricted section of the medical wing, awaiting the finalisation of the funeral proceedings. They had expected to be prevented from leaving for obvious security reasons, but the president had ordered they be let go. Zack had explained the president's plan to release a slightly altered version of the truth to the public, and after explaining how it served the greater good of all, he had convinced the others it was the best way to go.

"Mind if we head towards Sector Five first? I have business there." Zack had asked as they ambled through the streets of Midgar, now faintly lit by the early morning sun as it began to rise, marking the beginning of Cloud's first day as a hero. Nobody had any complaints as they seemed to be wandering aimlessly anyway, and Zack took the lead, his long black hair now back into its usual style and whipping gently in the early morning breeze, stroking the pommel of the Buster Sword strapped to his back. The sword had been thoroughly cleaned and polished but still bore the twisted molten scar from Sephiroth's magical assault, another permanent reminder of fallen comrades.

Sector Five was still mostly a junk yard, almost overflowing with building materials for the immense plate still under construction above the old sectors. The area was mostly a slum, still in need of considerable resources to be made aesthetically pleasing, but it had a certain simplistic charm about it. As they strolled through the market, Tifa paused to admire the simple but elegant jewellery on one of the stalls, stunned by the craftsmanship and beauty. Zack seemed adamant they continue, worried about something, so she reluctantly followed along, insisting they return later when they had more time.

The church stood defiantly in the pile of junk, sticking out like a cactuar in a chocobo nest. Vast wooden double doors and lovingly crafted stained glass windows looked somewhat out of place amongst the rusting girders and broken slabs. To most the church was just another ruin, long since rendered pointless for any sort of spiritual gathering. But to Zack it was like home, a symbol of peace and joy in his world of battle and loss. Merely gazing upon its elegance in anticipation of what awaited him within was enough to melt away all his troubles and doubts, his faith replenished in an instant, with the best still to come.

As he heaved the immense double doors open, Zack knew that for now his troubles were over. Nothing else mattered. Not Nibelhiem, not Sephiroth, not his duties, nothing at all. There was only this moment, a brief but perfect fragment of time in which everything was perfect. Knelt in a tiny field of flowers in her pretty pink dress with the pretty pink bow, almost glowing with a beautiful myriad of soft colours as the sunlight burst through the stained glass, the source of all Zack's joy turned to face them and smiled.

As she approached he gently rested his sword against one the dark wooden pews and strode forth to meet her, wrapping her in his arms and holding her tight. She giggled as he playfully ran his fingertips through her long auburn curls, stroking the pink ribbon he had given her which she never removed. Neither paid any mind to Cloud and Tifa as their lips met, a slow and tender kiss.

"I heard rumours of a fire in Nibelhiem. I was so worried about you." she whispered, struggling to hold back tears of joy at seeing him safe. He pulled her closer and kissed her forehead, squeezing her tight.

"It's all right, we're all ok. I'll explain later. Right now I just need to hold you."

The research floors of Shinra Tower buzzed with activity as the many scientists and their assistants went about their business, examining various test tubes, monitors and microscopes. Chatter was kept to essential information exchange, nobody willing to risk looking unprofessional as professor Hojo strode angrily through the lab, scowling at everyone's apparent lack of progress.

"You inbred incompetents. Hurry and find something of value or you shall all find yourselves as my next specimens." he said, his voice cold and quiet, full of menace and authority. Nobody questioned his threats. Many people had mysteriously vanished after incurring Shinra's wrath, and that of Hojo in particular. Some claimed these missing persons had been used in twisted experiments and turned into monsters, but nobody dared investigate for fear of suffering such a fate.

Doubling their efforts, everyone set about their tasks with a fervour even Hojo could not deny. Somehow one of them would find what went wrong, the secret behind the weakness in the greatest warrior the world had ever known. From there the only way was forward. Perhaps it had been arrogant of them to assume Sephiroth was perfect. He was merely a step on the ladder. In time when the mistakes that crippled him were corrected, the next step on that ladder would make Sephiroth look like nothing.

Though they could happily have stayed in each other's arms until world's end, the soft oos and awws of approval emanating from Tifa jarred them from their peaceful embrace in fits of giggles. She brushed his long black bangs out of his eyes and started fixing her own hair as he finally let go and turned to face his almost forgotten friends.

"Sorry about that. Where are my manners? I'd like to introduce you to Aerith Gainsborough. Sure you've gathered already that we're kinda fond of each other. Aerith, this is Cloud Strife, a fellow Soldier First Class, and his friend Tifa Lockhart, not quite sure what the situation is there but they seem pretty fond of each other too."

Aerith smiled sweetly and shook their hands. "Nice to meet you both. He's mentioned you before, Cloud. Congratulations on making it into Soldier."

"He talks about you all the time, Aerith. Nice to finally meet you." Cloud said with a grin, rather enjoying being introduced by his new rank.

"Tifa, I think I've heard your name before as well. You're from Nibelhiem, right?"

Tifa frowned and looked away, shuffling her feet and hoping somebody would change the subject. Zack put his hand on Aerith's shoulder and silently shook his head. She looked puzzled but dropped it all the same, trying to smile. With an audible gulp, Tifa looked around wildly for some way of breaking the tension, and found her eye drawn to the beautiful flowers at her feet.

"I've never seen flowers growing here in Midgar before. They're beautiful."

Aerith blushed a little and thought hard about how to explain the fertility of the soil, but the truth of the matter is she had no idea how flowers were able to grow here when everywhere else in Midgar was barren.

"Thank you. They grow outside my house too. I wish I knew why they grew here. I could fill all of Midgar with flowers. I do my best with the flower cart Zack made for me though. My flowers have become quite popular."

Stepping behind one of the dark oak pews, Aerith reached into her flower cart and took out a delicate sample, the silken soft leaves swaying gently in the breeze. The vibrancy of their yellow hue could warm the most frozen of hearts, their beauty counterpointed by their frailty, an almost perfect representation of life itself. She handed them to Tifa, watching as their beauty drove away the dark thoughts holding her heart in their icy grip.

"Would you like to come to my house? There are some beautiful flowers there too."

Zack reached for his sword and returned it to the straps on his back, absent his usual stylistic twirl. He smiled as he watched the look of innocence on the face of his lover. She was so trusting, open minded and open hearted, qualities alarmingly absent from so many he encountered. She was a ray of light in his world of darkness. He checked his phone to see the message he had been expecting had arrived, and he knew there was no turning back.

"Why don't you and Tifa go on ahead? I need to talk to Cloud for a few minutes, we'll catch up."

Aerith shrugged her shoulders, baffled as to what could be so important that he needed to talk to Cloud instead of her, but he must have reasons. Taking Tifa gently by the arm, she led the way out of the church, pointing to the many stained glass windows on the way out, explaining their meaning. Cloud turned to face his colleague and found himself sharing Aerith's bewildered expression.

"Guess you're wondering what's going on. Don't worry. Nothing bad this time. Something good. Wonderful even. Just got a message through from headquarters. They've approved a funding transfer I asked for before we left. So you and I are hitting the shops before we catch up."

Cloud simply stood and stared, his head buzzing with questions, the largest of which naturally being why his best friend wanted to skip time with the woman he loved to go shopping for lord knows what. He eventually concluded that questioning a superior officer this early in his career wouldn't be the best idea, so he simply did his best impression of Aerith's shrug and followed Zack outside.

Tifa had never been to Midgar before, the sights and sounds of the slums totally alien to her. Gone were the crisp green fields and towering silver mountains she was used to, replaced by a jungle of steel and stone. And yet the people still wore smiles. Aerith had made the journey even more fascinating, pointing out local items of interest and telling what she knew of the local history. For an area seemingly little more than a junk yard, the slums had a rich catalogue of tales of endurance and bravery, qualities Tifa could certainly appreciate.

Aerith's house stuck out from the crowd even worse than the church had. Lit by an almost heavenly light, standing proud in a field of golden flowers, a crystal clear waterfall dropping gently in the background, presumably to vanish underground because there was no sign of it anywhere else. For a moment Tifa contemplated the possibility that this was all an illusion of some sort. Maybe she'd been driven crazy with stress and was seeing things. Or maybe she'd died back in Nibelhiem and this was heaven. The noise of society was utterly absent, leaving only the sweet chirping of the birds nesting in the trees in the garden.

They sat at the large wooden table in Aerith's dining room, wondering where to start. Aerith's mother had gone out for the day, which had apparently shocked Aerith into silence. Her face twisted as she sat thinking of ways to start a conversation, racking her brain for a suitable topic.

"I can tell you're wanting to ask about Nibelhiem, Aerith. It's fine, just say it." Tifa mumbled, waving her hand as if to dismiss Aerith's fears. She leaned back in her chair, trying to make herself comfortable.

"Are you sure it's ok? I don't want to pry. It's just that I heard some rumours. I was so worried about Zack. They were saying that Sephiroth died in a fire."

Tifa squirmed as she said his name, but endeavoured to look Aerith in the eye all the same. She took a deep breath and started to recount her story, stopping every now and again to let it all sink in. She spared no details, pulled no punches and made no effort to conceal her opinion of certain Shinra employees. Aerith sat listening intently, her eyes calm and understanding as she learned the truth. Tifa's story came to a close as she suddenly realised she had told someone she barely knew something she had sworn to keep a secret.

"I guess Shinra wants to cover it all up then. Guess I can see why. Not really fair to you though. To the people you lost. But they are at peace now. I hope you find some peace as well, Tifa. At least you still have Cloud, right? And now you have Zack and me to talk to if you ever need anything."

Tifa smiled at her new friend. Zack had been right, she was sweet as chocolate covered sugar. And more than that she was right. Cloud had done what needed to be done. The people of Nibelhiem were avenged, and no doubt he had saved other lives as well. It would never bring back her family and her friends, but she wasn't done yet. She would take the gift of life that Zack and Cloud had given her and live it as best she could, for the memory of those she had loved.

Seemingly sensing her trail of thought, Aerith tilted her head like a curious puppy and simply said "So, you and Cloud..."

Two Soldiers made their way through the slums in silence, locked in their own worlds of deep thought. Cloud still stopped every now and then to adjust his uniform, still not entirely comfortable in it. Zack marched on, sword catching the early morning light, his face twisted with the storm of thoughts raging in his mind.

"Cloud, stop fidgeting. I'm trying to think." he said as he brushed the dark bangs of his hair from his eyes. Cloud stopped adjusting his lapel and caught up to his friend, smirking at the look on his new superior's face.

"You don't look too comfortable yourself."

"That obvious, is it?" Zack smirked back.

"You sure this is what you want to do?"

As they reached their destination, the morning sun seemed all the brighter, bathing all around them in its warm and gentle embrace. As he caught a glimpse of his sweetheart through the window as they approached, Zack smiled, the doubt banished utterly from his mind.

"I should have done this a long time ago, Cloud."

In the uppermost levels of Shinra Tower, a vast room full of computers and screens buzzed with activity. Reports came flooding in from agents spread to every corner of the globe, everything from resource gathering missions to undercover work in the heart of Wutai. Row upon row of Shinra staff sat correlating the vast mountains of information that bombarded them every hour of every day. Busier than ever with recent events, the staff were exhausted but thankful that their reports had been largely what their superiors wanted to hear. The remnants of the Wutai forces were not moving. The public were almost all too busy mourning the loss of their hero Sephiroth to concern themselves with news of a backwards town in the middle of nowhere. The media around the world was running the story Shinra had told them to.

And perhaps most important, they had located Genesis.

They had been sat talking for hours, discussing everything that sprung to mind, from their pasts and future plans to the wider world. Cloud and Zack had shared stories from their adventures, the fiends slain, the wonderful places they had seen on their missions. Tifa sat listening intently, enjoying finally hearing about Cloud's activities over the last few years. Aerith was on the edge of her seat, hanging on Zack's every word, her quiet sheltered life suddenly invaded by images of faraway lands. Elmrya had returned and made them dinner, which was greatly appreciated by all, especially after the awful hospital food the guests had been exposed to.

Eventually the sun began to fade, the golden rays shining through the gap in the upper plate dwindling as the talk of times gone by continued. Tifa was still feeling under the weather and soon had her head resting on Cloud's shoulder, struggling to keep her eyes open. As the conversations began to die down, Zack stood and made his way out into the field of flowers on the ridge above the house. It wasn't long before Aerith followed, sitting beside him and staring through the hole in the plate at the stars.

"Are you alright? Tifa told me what happened. You know I'm here if you want to talk about anything." She said, her voice as soft as the gentle brush of a feather on the cheek of a newborn baby. He smiled back but shook his head.

"I'm ok. We did what had to be done. I wish it didn't have to be that way, but Sephiroth brought this on himself. He wasn't the man I called my friend back there. He was crazed, butchering innocent people. Friend or not, I did what I had to. Or rather I tried. It was actually Cloud that finished it."

Aerith wrapped her arms around him, and felt him relax instantly. "You did what was best. Sometimes life doesn't work out quite how we thought it would. But you stayed strong to your beliefs and did everything you could to help those in need. I'm proud to know you. Not because you're a great warrior. Because your heart is pure."

"That reminds me. You told me before I left that you had some wishes for me?"

Aerith blushed and let him go, looking away embarrassed. "Oh, those...they're not important."

"If they're important to you, then they're important to me. Come on, tell me."

She smiled another of her sweet smiles and laughed. "Actually, I had lots of little wishes. But they don't matter. I only have one now."

"Which is?"

"To spend more time with you."

Zack held her close and allowed himself a little grin. "Funny you should say that. 'Cause that's something I've been working on myself. Which is why I got you this..."

With that he reached into his pocket and took out a small box, slowly opening it to reveal a silver ring, with a flower design and a white gem in the centre of the flower. Aerith gasped and blushed uncontrollably as she suddenly realised what it meant.

"I'll do anything to make that wish come true. I'll quit Soldier if I have to. I'll give it all up, to be here with you. Forever."

Aerith slipped the ring onto her finger and dove into his arms, saying simply 'yes' over and over again as they kissed under the stars.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 – Returning.**

The door slowly creaked open, jarring the exhausted Tifa from her sleep on Cloud's shoulder, and a red cheeked and dishevelled looking Aerith stumbled through the door, followed closely by Zack, whose hair had also seen better days. Tifa moved to mumble something about their appearance but was swiftly silenced when she noticed the gleam from the ring on Aerith's finger. As she struggled to find adequate words, Cloud simply nodded in quiet respect to his comrade and offered his congratulations to Aerith, who was herself struggling to form sentences. Elmrya had offered them all some celebratory drinks and tried to calm Aerith down a little, but nothing would help. It soon became apparent that there weren't enough beds to go around, so Cloud and Tifa eventually bid the young lovers goodbye and made their way to the local inn, their temporary accommodation at Shinra Tower being neither appealing or practical. Tifa had partaken of one too many celebratory drinks, and as such the journey was a little more fraught with danger than absolutely necessary.

The next morning came all too soon for Zack, who couldn't bring himself to look at the message waiting on his phone right away, too busy enjoying the tranquillity in the arms of his fiancée that he had more than earned. Rolling out of bed and reaching for his phone on the nightstand, he flicked it open and sighed. The message was a demand to report to Shinra Tower immediately. So much for time off to rest and relax. Aerith stirred next to him as he pulled on his boots, still bleary eyed and paying the consequences for her celebrations the night before.

"I'm sorry about this. I'm supposed to be on vacation, I know. Trust me, unless this is of life-or-death importance, I'll be busting some skulls in for this." he muttered, trying in vain to get his hair to look presentable again.

"I'm sure it's something important. Don't worry. Go. They must need you."

"I'll be back as quick as I can."

With that he gave his fiancée a kiss goodbye, and shuffled down the stairs still muttering various curses about various higher-ups within the company. She heard the familiar sound of his sword being returned to the straps on his back, and he was gone. She rolled over and stared at the shining band on her finger, knowing that it hadn't just been a wonderful dream.

Shinra Tower was surprisingly quiet when the two Soldiers arrived, neither looking especially happy or even awake. Cloud had finally adjusted to his new uniform and was no longer fidgeting as they made their way up to the Soldier floor of the tower, still trying and failing to shake off the after-effects of recent events. Tseng was waiting for them when the elevator finally came to a stop, his suit immaculate as always, made all the more apparent by the Soldier's uniforms being in somewhat poor condition.

"Good morning gentlemen. I trust you slept well?" he said, his voice as cold and emotionless as the early morning mist.

"Tseng, this had better be important. You have no idea what you just interrupted." Zack grumbled.

"Sorry for having to cut your vacation so short, but this is critical. We've got one final mission we need the two of you to attend to before we can all relax. You know things are tense here. Believe me, if there were any other way, we would have taken it."

"Just get to the point so I can get out of here, please."

Tseng smirked and led them to the briefing room at the end of the corridor. He knew exactly what was going on. It was common knowledge that Zack had requested a large credit transfer and gone to see Aerith shortly afterwards. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together. And even if it did take a genius, Tseng happened to be one anyway. The automatic doors slid open and the holographic display sprang to life, displaying an all too familiar image.

"Genesis. So you found him then. Save your explanations, you want me to go take him out, right? So he doesn't blow the cover story, threaten company stability, or do anything drastic to any more Shinra executives. I'll get my gear."

"You're correct, Zack. Our Intel department has located former Soldier Genesis, and we need him eliminated. You're to take Cloud with you for observational training, find Genesis, and take him out. By professor Hojo's calculations his degeneration should be nearing critical levels. If he is planning an assault against us, he'll have to make his move soon. We'd rather take him out quietly to avoid yet another public relations disaster."

"Where exactly are we heading?"

"Gongaga, actually. Reports stated he was in the area checking out the new reactor site, maybe planning to sabotage it. We've got teams on standby close by in case anything does go wrong with the reactor, but they'd be no match for him. We need experience on this mission, Zack. Besides, we thought you'd appreciate the chance to tell your parents the good news."

Zack glanced over at Cloud as he concentrated unerringly on Tseng's every word. "No offence to Cloud here, but if it's that dangerous shouldn't his training wait a while? I can't be fighting at my best if I have to watch his back too. No offence, Cloud. But Tseng's right, only a trained Soldier could take on Genesis and live."

Cloud knitted his hands together and looked over at Tseng, his eyes aglow with focus and a confidence he had lacked until recently. "I'm guessing I'm more of a supporting role, helping with the evacuations and dealing with any lesser threats while you take on Genesis."

Tseng nodded in admiration. "Correct, Cloud. It wouldn't be wise for you to take on Genesis until your training is complete. You're tagging along mostly to observe, learn, and support as necessary. Chances for field training like this don't come up very often."

Zack nodded his understanding and downloaded the mission profile onto his phone to study on the journey to Gongaga. "What about Cloud's equipment? I haven't even started training him on weapon and materia use yet."

"We've got the standard stuff waiting in the storage room. Standard Soldier sword, a few materia to choose from. It'll have to be on the job learning, but then he shouldn't be in much danger anyway. As far as our agents could see, the only hostile element in the region was Genesis himself. I'm sure he can handle a few fiends without any assistance. Anything else you need before we set off?"

"Just a word in private."

Cloud slipped off to the storage room to collect his new equipment, and Zack locked the door behind him. He took a deep breath and turned to face Tseng, who stood still and silent by the holographic display.

"Aerith said she was being followed while I was away. You know anything about it?"

"She's an Ancient, Zack. Probably the last. She is of great interest to Hojo. The men following her are under my command. I wanted to make sure she was safe for you. I know you care for her, Zack. Trust me, she won't come to harm as long as I have anything to say about it."

"Just make sure Hojo stays away from her. I'm not having her dissected in his lab so he can make another Sephiroth. This company has done terrible things to innocent people, Tseng. I'm starting to wonder if I'm in the right place."

"You joined Soldier because you wanted to be a hero. So ask yourself. Are you a hero? You made First Class, but there's more to being a hero than badges and rank. Sephiroth was a hero to many. But were his actions in those final hours heroic? While you're away, take a long look at what you think a hero is, Zack. I'll keep an eye on your fiancée while I wait for your answer."

Cloud withdrew the long steel sword from the storage unit on the wall, gazing at it silently. This was the real mark of a Soldier. Grunts were only given assault rifles, tasked with spraying bullets indiscriminately at whatever their superiors wanted dead. Soldiers were more efficient, given weapons which required skill and precision. Most of those who made it as far as First Class chose their own weapon to best suit their needs, not to mention add their own style to the many news articles published about their deeds. Cloud had dreamed of having a sword like this ever since he was a boy, growing up in Nibelhiem, swinging around a stick, pretending he was a great hero like Sephiroth.

He gripped the blade with both hands and swung it like had the stick all those years ago. The blade was surprisingly light and easy to use, cutting the air like it was just a stick. He dodged and weaved as he fought the imaginary fiends that had been defeated many times in his youth, the sword becoming like an extension of his arm. It felt natural. It felt right. More so than any rifle ever had. He was born to wield a sword.

He swung again and shockwaves pulsed down the blade as it impacted with an identical copy, held aloft by Zack, a smile on his face.

"Looks like you understand the basics. At least I won't have to babysit you."

Cloud lowered his sword and placed it in the straps on the back of his uniform before reaching into the locker to retrieve the small brown package inside. Four faintly glowing spheres awaited within, the basic starter set for amateur materia users. He already knew what they were. Fire, ice, lightning and the healing magic Zack had used back in Nibelhiem. He had studied materia use before, but had never actually been given any. Materia were far too rare and valuable to give away to mere grunts, after all.

"Just hold it in your hand, focus all your thoughts on it, will the magic to come, and it will. It takes some getting used to, but there's plenty of time, we can practise on the way. Anything you wanna ask before we set off on your first official mission?"

Cloud paused and thought for a few moments.

"Yeah. Can you teach me how to do that spinning trick you do with your sword?"

Gongaga was a small village, south of the Golden Saucer amusement park on the western continent, buried deep within the forest. Shinra had discovered that the trees grew exceptionally tall there thanks to an unusually high concentration of mako energy in the soil, and had of course decided to build a reactor there. The locals hadn't been too thrilled at first, preferring to stay with their simple lives. But Shinra had eventually convinced them to allow construction to begin. Most of the building work was in the final stages, with the reactor due to be brought online in a few months. Still absent the eerie green glow of the other reactors around the world, the cranes and other machines could be seen from far away, towering over even the tallest trees.

The Shinra troop transport, dropped close to their target by airship earlier that day, carrying the two Soldiers and the last of the extraction team sent to assist any necessary rescue operations came to a halt at the edge of the forest, its passengers disembarking and stretching their limbs out of entropy. The extraction team had been ordered to stand by somewhere close, just in case anything went wrong, while Zack searched for the rogue Soldier Genesis.

"Cloud, you're with me. You won't learn much staying on the sidelines. Just stay out of trouble if you can, OK?"

Checking their equipment one last time, making sure their weapons were sharp and ready, the Soldiers ventured forth into the forest, the path through the trees strangely quiet in the early afternoon. A soft breeze wound through the trees, now starting to lose their leaves as winter approached. Zack took the lead, the colossal Buster Sword resting on his back, with Cloud following close behind.

"So this is your home town, Zack?"

"Sure is. I'm a country boy, just like you. That's the village up ahead. Look, I hope you don't mind but I'm gonna kinda disobey orders here and drop in to see my folks before I go to the reactor. They'll never know."

As they entered the village, the handful of people going about their daily tasks barely even looked up. Shinra people on Shinra business. Nothing to do with them. Zack barely recognised any of them. He had been away for years, so it was hardly surprising. The village seemed mostly unchanged. Stone huts, simple wooden bridges stretching over the shallow stream, farmers tending their fields on the outskirts. Simple country life. Just the way he remembered it. His home was just the way he remembered it too. The mishmash of different colours in the bricks, the dark grass growing by the door, everything was exactly how he left it all those years ago. He opened the door and edged gently inside, Cloud waiting just outside.

"Mom? Dad? I'm home. Anyone here?"

A woman came rushing in from the back room, her face flustered, stunned rigid at the sight of her son, now grown to a man. She began to cry, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks as she embraced her only child for the first time in years.

Although her head felt like it was about to implode, Tifa endeavoured to drag herself out of bed. She missed Cloud already. Everything sank in as she realised she had no plans. Nowhere to go, no job, no family. Her first day of a new life had left her feeling hollow. She had never been to Midgar before, and the big city was more than a little overwhelming. Where should she start looking for her future? How do you begin a new life without even the ashes of the old to build upon?

A knock at the door jarred her from her contemplation. Must just be the inn staff. Cloud wouldn't be back for hours at the earliest. Off on his first mission as a Soldier. She staggered to the door, still woozy from the events of the last couple of days combined with the excessive consumption of alcohol the night before. The scar across her midriff ached, but to their credit the Shinra medics had done a good job making it as invisible as possible. Wrapping her jacket closer around her, she opened the solid wooden door to have her suspicions confirmed. The innkeeper stood in his pastel suit, waiting patiently with a smile.

"Ms Lockhart, there is a messenger here for you from Shinra, he requests the pleasure of your company."

Oh joy. More interviews, no doubt. More trouble. More medicals. More heartbreak. Still, since there was little else to do she may as well hear him out. She simply nodded to the innkeeper as he smiled and went about his duties, made her way down to reception with a sigh and mentally prepared herself for more bad news.

The suited man stood waiting for her was not exactly what she had been expecting. His wild red hair presented an air of mischief that clashed badly with his tailored suit and polished boots. His smirk only made things worse. He looked like an accountant that dreamed of a career in rock music. Despite being an emissary for his company, his attitude was one of relaxed flirtatious fun.

"Morning. Got a message for ya from the boss. Asked me to tell you your funding has been set up. Here, this card's got pretty much no limit. Doesn't bring your town or your family back, but at least you'll have all the comforts."

With that the young man handed her a credit card, which she slipped into a pocket on her shorts, resting her hands on her hips as she stared back at him. She couldn't shake the feeling that he was checking her out. "Is that all?"

"Officially, yeah. The director asked me to check up on you in an unofficial sense too, to be honest. There must be a lot you wanna ask. I can't answer everything, of course. But if there's anything you wanna ask..?"

Tifa looked upon the red haired man and couldn't help but wonder what his angle was. Still, what was there to lose at this point?

"What do I do now?"

The young man sighed. He knew this was coming. He could see the hate in her eyes. And he didn't blame her. After everything the company had done to her, the president himself should have been the one coming down to beg her forgiveness.

"I know you've lost a lot. What I'd do is look at this as a fresh start. I know that doesn't help but you've got no limits now. That card can't be maxed, we'll cover any expenses you encounter. You can go anywhere. Live wherever you want, do whatever you want. That's gotta count for something. We can't ever make up for what we did to you and everyone else, money can't fix things like this. But at least you can be comfortable while you figure it all out."

With that he flicked the red hair out of his eyes and made to leave, stopping briefly at the door to offer her a smile, and left her to her thoughts.

Gongaga was perfectly peaceful, considering he had been sent there on a supposedly dangerous mission. Cloud took a deep breath, enjoying the taste of the country air, feeling the breeze on his face, thrilled that he no longer had to keep his face hidden under his old grunt helmet. He looked around to see the simple country life he had come from. Zack had been right, this was a lot like Nibelhiem had been. Simple folk with simple lives. Farmers tending their crops. Kids playing in the stream running by the house. Animals going about their business in the forest on the outskirts of town.

He tried to stay vigilant. Zack had told him to keep watch. So while his uniform might be a little more snappy, his duties were much the same so far. He kept a watchful eye on every action taken around him. His hearing was surprisingly acute after years of trying to hear what was going on through the thick padding of his helmet. He kept his hand close to the sword on his back, ready for action if he was needed.

A scream from the edge of town split the calm, and Cloud drew his sword on pure reflex. He peered round the edge of the Fair family home to see the source of the commotion. Several small children were running into town, one young man with a cut above his eye. A swarm of emerald bugs the size of motorbikes charged into town behind them, likely disturbed in some way by the children playing in the forest, the hum of their wings sending the villagers running for cover. Cloud knocked on the door and called for his companion.

"Zack, Kimara bugs are attacking the villagers. I'm going in."

With that he charged towards the swarm, sword raised, ready for action. He ran the tip of his index finger across the glowing green materia placed carefully in the hilt of his sword, focussing his thoughts on the power contained within as Zack had told him. Feeling a tingle in his hand, he saw in his mind's eye the power of the Ancients coming to his aid, and before his eyes the air surrounding his initial target began to solidify. The power of magic drained the heat from his enemy, chilling it to the bone as pure white crystals began to form around it. As the bug tried turning to face him, it froze solid, and was sent crashing to the ground, its wings not designed for lifting solid blocks of ice. As he passed his target on his way towards the swarm, Cloud swung his new sword and smashed the block of ice into a thousand pieces, sending fragments of what was once a fiend to the four winds.

The swarm took notice of their fallen comrade and several of them broke off from the attack on the villagers, surging towards him as he readied himself for further combat. The leader of the formation spat its sticky web towards him, but years of battle as a grunt had taught Cloud how to survive. He dodged to the side and slashed at his attacker, his razor sharp blade splitting flesh and bone with no effort at all. The fiend impacted with the floor with enough force to kick up a dust cloud, its blood staining the ground as it breathed its last. Another fiend came in on the attack, raking at Cloud's exposed arm with its sharp mandibles. His reflexes proved more than a match for the simple intellect of the bug as he ducked under the attack, the chitinous mass impacting harmlessly on his protected shoulder as the cold steel of a Soldier's sword was thrust deep into the underbelly of the ill-fated attacker.

As the main group approached the village, a flash of light sparked into being in the centre of their formation, and deadly chain lightning leapt between them, scorching flesh and boiling blood, sending the entire group to the next world in agonising pain for their final moments. Cloud turned to see his comrade Zack holding one of his own materia, the eerie green glow refracting off the polished silver of his sword, making the grin on his face look a little sinister. He charged into the fray, leaping through the air like gravity held no sway on him. Bright blue energy surged around his mighty blade as he sent it slamming into the ground. The energy waves coalesced into a brilliant blue bolt of pure power, ripping through a line of his foes, obliterating them entirely. As the energy wave dissipated, it send out smaller shockwaves into anything close by, stunning another group of fiends just long enough for Zack to slice them to ribbons.

The attack halted, the fiend numbers decimated within moments. The few that remained may not have been the smartest creatures, but even they knew when they were doomed. Turning for the forest, they flew as fast as their wings could carry them, escaping to fight another day. Cloud looked to his friend, but Zack merely shook his head. It wasn't worth pursuing them.

Cloud wiped the blood and ichor from his sword with a small rag kept in a pouch on his belt, and returned the blade to its sheath. Surveying the scene, he saw that casualties amongst the townspeople were limited to mere cuts and bruises. Zack knelt by the child with a cut above his eye, the familiar emerald glow of his healing magic billowing forth from his palms, flowing into the open wound, binding flesh and skin back together again. The young boy smiled at him, and ran to his family. His mother stood by the family home, smiling at the dark haired Soldier she remembered as a youngster much the same as her own offspring many years ago. Quiet returned to the forest town as people returned to their business, tending their fields.

Zack looked towards the towering fist of steel beams deep within the forest that was the reactor under construction. Genesis has to be there. It was the only target of any value in the area. Gongaga was an unremarkable town in the grand scheme of things. The people were simple farmers, the town held no real strategic location on any map. Its only point of interest to the wider world was the rich veins of mako energy pooling beneath the town, which the reactor was to draw out as an energy source. Genesis' ultimate goal was to halt his degeneration, or at the very least cause as much chaos as possible towards those who had inflicted it upon him. Either way, the reactor was his destination.

He stood atop a flat-topped tree trunk in the town centre and called for attention. The villagers eyed him suspiciously for a few moments, but many recognised his flowing dark hair from years ago, remembering that he was one of their own. A small crowd gathered around him, some drawn by loyalty to the town and all who were raised there, others by sheer curiosity at what a Shinra Soldier could possibly want.

"We have reason to suspect that the reactor is under attack. It may be nothing, but if the reactor is compromised, it could cause a disaster. For your own safety, Shinra troops are on standby on the outskirts of the town to assist in your evacuation. Carry only what you need, and make your way to the edge of the forest until this has been dealt with. My colleague and I have been sent here to investigate and deal with the problem. We'll be as quick as we can. You'll be back home in no time, but for now it'd be best if you get out of here, just in case."

With that Zack leapt down from the stump and signalled for the extraction teams to do their jobs. He beckoned Cloud over and looked again upon the reactor, a frown creeping across his usually cheery expression.

"I need you to help get everyone out of here. These extraction guys aren't exactly combat experts. If those fiends come back then it could be all sorts of trouble. Keep an eye on my folks for me, ok?"

Cloud nodded solemnly, reading between the lines and the hidden truths in his friend's eyes. The extraction teams were capable enough, certainly able to repel a few measly fiends. Zack felt the need to face Genesis alone. After all, they were the last of the First Class Soldiers of old. The trifecta of Genesis, Angeal and Sephiroth had been the very core of Shinra's military might, with Zack trailing behind until Angeal's death. The scar on his cheek seemed to burn at the memories, but Zack had to press on. After this, it could all be over. He would be free to settle down with Aerith, with no more worries. Without any further words between them, Zack moved down the forest path that led to the construction site, his heart as heavy as his sword at what was surely to come.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven - Something That Shimmers**

Tifa made her way back towards Aerith's home, pondering exactly what she would do from now on. She missed Cloud already. She even found herself lamenting Zack's absence, much to her surprise. While she may hate Shinra and everything they had done to her, she had to concede that Cloud had chosen his friends wisely. Aerith was no different. She had a natural warmth that made her a joy to be around. With nowhere else to turn and nobody else to call upon, Tifa found Aerith to be her only destination. But that did not give her sadness. She may not have all she once had in Nibelhiem, but she wasn't starting again completely from scratch. She had a wonderful man who would soon be back by her side. She had a friend who had helped to save her life. She had a girly chum to share things with. And she had a credit card it was impossible to max out in the middle of the biggest city in the world.

She wondered exactly what Aerith's experience with shopping sprees was. She lived deep in the slums of the city, but she carried herself with an air of a simple country life. Perhaps that was why Tifa found her so easy to trust. She had only know Aerith for one evening and yet it felt like they were childhood friends already. She was so eager to listen and help. She was trusting to the point of naivety, but she also had a streetwise aspect to her, knowing which dark corners were best avoided. She was unique in that she seemed simple and open, easy to read and eternally honest. But there was always a sense that she knew more than she let on.

The house shared that strange feeling in many ways. It always seemed to be bathed in glorious sunlight, even when the rest of the city drowned in an overcast sky. Flowers bloomed here, but the rest of the city was cold and lifeless. Aerith had explained the night before that she sold these flowers in a cart Zack had built for her, and as she had more or less a complete monopoly on the flower industry here in Midgar, she was making more money than she had any real use for. Yet she was far from a materialistic girl. She had talked of her dreams and wishes while they waited for Zack and Cloud to return the night before, and while some of the girls from Nibelhiem had spoken at length about marrying into money and prestige, Aerith only cared for spending time with Zack.

Aerith was still buzzing around, full of energy with no outlet. She kept pausing midway through her morning activities to stare wide-eyed at the sparkling ring on her finger, squealing in delight every time. She finally caught sight of Tifa stood in the doorway after a few minutes of her daze, coming over to hug her new friend.

"Sorry, Tifa. I just don't know what to do with myself!" she said through a giggle.

Elmrya wandered in from the kitchen with a pan full of crispy bacon, smiling at Tifa and shaking her head at Aerith as she stood transfixed by her ring again.

"Just in time to join us for breakfast, Tifa. Maybe you can help me calm her down, if it's even possible. She's been like this all morning."

Tifa smiled warmly and touched Aerith gently on the shoulder to snap her out of her childish fervour. Aerith jumped a little but smiled back mere moments later as she finally got her bearings. They sat at the table and made some bacon sandwiches, Elmrya and Tifa enjoying their breakfast as Aerith drifted in and out of the conversation. Tifa insisted on helping with washing up the plates to thank her hosts, despite Elmrya's insistence that it wasn't necessary. Aerith rushed about tidying things, trying in vain to dispose of a fraction of her excess energy. Conversation soon turned to the idea of going out for the day as Tifa told of her new credit card and the Shinra messenger. She told of the company's attempts to make amends for Sephiroth's dark deeds, giving her essentially unlimited resources for anything she could ever want to do. But it still felt wrong to her. That card belonged to all the survivors of Nibelhiem, what few of them remained. It belonged to those that had lost their lives at his blade. Using it solely to live a selfish life of luxury felt like betraying the memory of all those that had died that night, including her parents and Cloud's mother. It was blood money, and if there was any other way she would have snapped that card in half right in front of the messenger's face and thrown it back at him. But without it she had no way to make ends meet. It was evil to her, but a necessary evil.

However, if she were to use that card for good, to make life better for those who deserved it, perhaps she could yet turn this evil into something that could honour the memories of the dead. She would use it to help everyone she could, in any way she could. With unlimited money, she could surely find some way of doing great deeds. She would make the most of her survival, living a life that would make the people of Nibelhiem proud, allowing them to rest in peace.

It would start with Aerith herself. She lived a humble life, tending her flowers and the church, attending to the local orphans who wandered the slums, scavenging the scrap piles to make a few quick Gil for food whenever they could. Aerith had diverted the profits from her flower cart to feeding the orphans, making sure they had a place to stay within the church when times were hard for them all. She seemed to have no selfish side. She lived for others, and bringing peace to everyone she could. Although with the acquisition of the incredible ring that she was utterly smitten with, a slight corruption of that purity had begun to manifest.

They grabbed their coats and bid their goodbyes to Elmrya, making their way out into the slums to see what they could do with the day. They finally settled on treating Aerith to a new dress, a reward for all her wonderful deeds. They could also start looking for potential wedding dresses. As they walked along the winding path through the scrap piles, they talked at length about where they could go, where the best dresses could be found.

"Truth be told, I think I want to get a dress from the slums. This is my home, after all. It wouldn't feel right to be getting one of the fancy dresses from up on the plate. Besides, if we buy a nice dress from here in the slums, we're helping out a small business and making someone else's day better too, right?"

"You have anywhere in mind?"

"Actually, I heard of a man in Wall Market that makes fabulous dresses. It's a little...seedy. Not the best area of Midgar, but he's said to be very talented."

They set out towards Wall Market, Aerith pointing out the various highlights of Midgar along the way. The towering support columns were almost completed, and the plate suspended high above the slums was soon to follow. Most of the completed plate now housed the upper echelons of society, Shinra employees and Soldiers, the mega rich and the important. Those who didn't make the grade were relegated to the cold dark of the slums, but the people of the slums made the best of their lot. They could not afford complacency, forcing them to live every moment as if it could be their last, which gave them a strength of character that few living on the plate could ever achieve. They had their own richness of culture, in a strange way.

Wall Market was unlike any other part of the slums. Bright neon lights created a somewhat harsh air for the entire sector. Aerith hadn't been kidding about the seedy nature of the town. Stores along the main street had all manner of junk pile high outside their doorways, drunken citizens staggered forth from the dirty-looking taverns and inns. The Honeybee Inn, a local hotel of somewhat dubious reputation for underhanded dealings and debauched sexual activities, shone in the distance, a crowd gathering outside the gates. Rumour had it that today was a special occasion for the management and some sort of party was taking place inside.

The dress store did little to stand out from the row of poorly constructed hovel-like structures. In fact, if you hadn't been told which store was which, you may have spent many hours checking every single doorway in search of your destination. But inside was a different matter. While it may be tiny, it made up for the lack of space by covering every possible surface with tidal waves of colourful fabrics. No matter what your idea for clothing of any kind, the store had exactly what you sought. Vast racks stood close to the changing rooms, packed to bursting with stunning arrays of materials and styles. Both Tifa and Aerith's jaws hit the floor the moment they walked through the doorway, hardly able to believe their eyes that such a beautiful haven could exist so deep in the bowels of a downbeat place like Wall Market.

The store was abandoned so early in the morning, leaving them free to rummage through the endless ocean of beauty for something perfect. The owner watched them patiently, ready to help if they needed anything. Aerith was overwhelmed with the choices. She had never had much experience of shopping for herself. She knew she wanted something that would work with the pink ribbon she wore in her hair that Zack had given her, but her fashion sense left a lot to be desired. She had little understanding of the wide range of fabrics available, no concept of how colours worked together, and no knowledge of the endless list of styles available. She was glad she had a friend like Tifa to help her out. Up until now she wore clothes simply for comfort. Her frilly blue dress, the pride of her collection, wasn't even something she had chosen for herself, it had been a birthday gift from Elmrya.

Maybe the best approach was simply to look through things until one just clicked for her. She would know when things were perfect. Or perhaps she should ask Tifa for advice, or ask the owner what he thought would suit her. Her only stipulations were that whatever dress she finally arrived at was comfortable, soft, allowed her to continue wearing her beloved ring and ribbon without them looking out of place, and something that would make Zack want to stay when he got back from his mission.

She hated that he had left so soon after he returned from almost dying in Nibelhiem. She had always worried about him every time he left on missions. She knew he was a competent warrior, and that his Soldier training put him on a level no average fiend or assassin could hope to match. But the world was a twisted place. Every time Zack told her of the horrible monsters that attacked him wherever he went, she feared that one day a monster so strong it could defeat him would appear. She hated worrying about him. She had already lost her real mother, although Elmrya was a magnificent person and she could not have asked for a better substitute. Everyone died sooner or later. How she would cope if anything ever happened to him was beyond her. He had become special to her. She knew little of love, but she knew she loved him with all her heart.

The reactor was still early into the final construction phase, but it still towered above the treetops. Underneath the cone of concrete and steel beams, the reactor core was nearing completion. A vast chasm drilled into the ground by massive machines over the last few months stretched down far below the roots of the forest, down into the Lifestream to soak up its rich bounty of energy. The conversion equipment was currently halfway to being completed, and the outer shell of the reactor was mostly completed. In a few more months the reactor would be fully functional, ready to deliver cheap and effective energy to the entire region and beyond.

Zack checked his equipment one last time before setting off down the road to find his target. Genesis was extremely powerful. He had been able to hold his own in battles against Sephiroth over the years in training scenarios. His crimson sword was inscribed with runic patterns that assisted his control of magical energies, not to mention how his natural talent with the blade made him truly deadly. The genetic experiments that had granted him unbelievable combat abilities also granted him a single ebony wing he could create or dissolve at will, allowing him to fly for brief periods. He had the greatly enhanced strength and agility typical of a Soldier First Class and years of experience at making use of those powers.

He was a formidable opponent, but Zack had one critical advantage. The experiments that had given Genesis all of his enhanced abilities had not been as successful as those that granted Sephiroth and the other Firsts the same boons. His cellular makeup was degenerating at an alarming rate, leaving him weakened and vulnerable. He had limited time available to him, so he sought what he described as the 'gift of the goddess', a myth referenced in the classic story 'Loveless' which Genesis believed was the key to halting his degeneration and extending his lifespan. He was almost at the end of his life now. By the calculations of Shinra's science division he only had a few hours left, so all Zack really had to do was outlast him and keep him occupied until his degeneration weakened him enough to present an opening to finish him off.

Putting his hand on the grip of his enormous Buster Sword, Zack moved through the yard full of unused construction materials and into the reactor itself. He could feel danger all around him. Genesis had an army of clones and fiends at his command. No doubt something other than Genesis himself awaited him somewhere here.

His instincts proved to be completely correct. No sooner had he stepped over the threshold than a Genesis clone leapt down from the ceiling, followed by another, and another. As it slashed at him from above as it fell, the First soon realised that the capabilities of the clones were far from those of the real Genesis. Their strikes lacked power, finesse and understanding. Their timing was poor, leaving them wide open to counter-attacks. A simple dodge to the side followed by a devastating smash from the Buster Sword was enough to send them crashing to the floor in pieces. Zack barely broke a sweat as he took down scores of the red cloaked assassins. Blood seeped from their fading cloaks and pale skin onto the cold wrought iron floor panels. Clearly the degeneration was on schedule if the weakness of the clones was anything to go by.

If Genesis still sought the 'gift of the goddess', it most likely had something to do with the Lifestream. He would most likely be heading for the core. Zack flicked the blood from his sword but kept it ready. The blade was starting to show signs of wear, something he had wanted to avoid wherever possible. The original owner of the sword, Angeal, had been another First Class and Zack's mentor. His father had arranged for the sword to be made to commemorate his ascension to First Class, and as such Angeal had lamented any use of the blade. It had such sentimental value that he would carry it with him, but continue to use a standard Soldier sword, the same as Zack once had and now Cloud was training with. Zack had always tried to keep the Buster Sword in good condition to honour Angeal's wishes after his death, but the endless battles and Sephiroth's magical assault in Nibelhiem had left the blade warped and scarred in places. The poor condition of the sword weighed heavily on his mind, and he promised himself and Angeal's memory that he would see it restored as soon as this mission was over.

The core of the reactor was much like every other reactor core spread across the wider world. Based on the standard design that had been perfected with the eight reactors of Midgar, cold steel stairs led down to maintenance areas and pipelines, which in turn led to grey metal walkways over the Lifestream itself where the main conduits lie. The eerie green glow of the life-blood of the planet itself made even the bravest warrior a little uneasy. All of life sprung from that lurid green river, returning to it when its time was spent. It was a visible infinity which all must face sooner or later. Not even the smartest minds fully understood the nature of the Lifestream. In fact human minds were ill designed to comprehend the nature of life and death in its full detail.

Genesis stood at the end of the walkway, his flowing crimson jacket buffeted by the draft emanating from the swirling Lifestream below. He held his crimson rapier in one hand, his beloved Loveless novelisation in the other, reading another passage aloud as he sensed Zack's approach.

"Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul. Pride is lost. Wings stripped away, the end is nigh." he spoke, his soft accent far removed from the cold, harsh tones of Sephiroth. He had an air of sophistication about him, more a warrior poet than a cold-blooded killer. "Have you come to kill me, Zack? I hear you killed Sephiroth. I guess I should be little challenge to you then."

Zack raised his blade and stood ready, his piercing gaze locked upon his target. "Sephiroth was insane. He killed almost an entire town. I brought him down to protect innocent people. If I have to, I will do the same again right here."

Genesis chuckled lightly. "So, he couldn't deal with the truth after all. Funny. He was the strongest of us all, yet he alone could not come to terms with what he truly was. Tell me, Zack. How did he meet his end? Did he die with honour?"

Zack lowered his gaze for a moment and shook his head. "No. He died a murderer and a traitor. I had no choice but to fight him. He was distracted with his thoughts and left himself too open. He died there in the Nibelhiem reactor. I'm sorry, Genesis. But he lost his way. Don't make me do the same again. Regain your honour as Soldier and put an end to all this."

Genesis' chuckle erupted into full blow laughter as he turned to face his former comrade. His hair had lost its colour, his skin was pale and his eyes had begun to lose the shimmer associated with a Soldier's mako infusion, though they burned with an inner strength that transcended his physical form and kept him strong even as his body began to fail him.

"Honour as Soldier? You think I owe my allegiance to Shinra after all they have done? You speak of protecting the innocent, yet how easily you forget that they did this to us all. My life is forfeight because they had to have absolute power. Sephiroth lost his mind and killed the innocents you protect because of Shinra's experiments. Even Angeal, your old friend and mentor, lost his life for their twisted designs. Yet you talk of honour. You dream of being a hero, Zack. Tell me. Do you truly serve the innocent, or do you help their suffering?"

"I serve those who need it in my own way, Genesis. I saw the suffering Sephiroth caused and put an end to it. I see the pain you bring to so many and I'm here to stop it now. I keep my honour by fighting for my ideals. Shinra is a means to an end. Nothing more. You lost your way long ago. You lost your faith in everything when the degeneration started. You strike out at everything for the sake of petty vengeance. You lost your honour, not as Soldier, but as a man."

Genesis laughed and brushed the fading white hair from his eyes. "Perhaps you're right, Zack. But I serve my own ideals. I see suffering much like you do. I see the pain Shinra causes so many people. They cause death and destruction and hide it behind the face of benevolence. They care only for money and power, Zack. You think they build these reactors out of the goodness of their hearts? They build them to gain dominion over us all. They won't hesitate to bring down any who oppose them. I have little time left in this world, Zack. My ideals lead me to make this planet just a little brighter before I find myself removed from it. I will extinguish Shinra and ease the suffering of those whose lot is already hard enough. Perhaps then I shall be worthy of the gift of the goddess. Vengeance was never the idea. But I'm afraid you would stand in my way. That makes you my enemy."

With that Genesis stashed his copy of Loveless in a deep pocket on his jacket and raised his rapier, ready for battle. The runes along the blade began to glow faintly as he concentrated his strength for this one final duel. Leaping forward with the grace of a true Soldier First Class, he swung his deadly blade, striking with all his strength.

Aerith looked like a princess. In fact, she had for the last seven dresses, and yet none seemed perfect in her eyes. After hours of experimentation with more choices that the wealthiest of Midgar called their own, she had begun to settle on some ideas. She found that she preferred lighter materials such as silks, milder colours like the gentle pink of her ribbon, and longer flowing lines than her companion generally opted for. Tifa also looked beautiful, and having settled on her own choice had offered her wisdom to Aerith as her confusion held tight.

The store owner had been watching them carefully during their repeated attempts to find the one perfect dress that Aerith could finally settle on. He had greatly enjoyed their company, for it was rare for him to speak with customers with genuine passion for their choices. The majority of his business went to the local call girls and Honeybee Inn staff, who cared little for the fine detailing of their outfits, only for how much flesh they could keep on show without the Shinra security staff hauling them away. He had offered his professional opinions on their choices, made a few choice suggestions based on their favourites thus far, and granted them access to the special stock usually reserved for the highest class of customer.

Aerith emerged from the changing room, clad in a faintly shimmering soft pink dress that stretched down almost to her toes, open along one leg, made from the finest silk in all of Midgar. Its soft tones and gentle flowing lines accentuated every curve of her naturally beautiful young form, drawing out every last shred of potential in her looks, the faint flowery decoration in the embroidery matching not only her form but also her personality. It blended seamlessly with the ribbon in her hair, an accessory the owner would have recommended had she not been wearing one already. Her face was locked in a broad smile as she read the expression on her companion's face. Clearly she agreed that they had finally found it, the perfect dress that ticked every box. It was less an outfit and more a stunning work of art.

Had the store owner known that Tifa's credit card had absolutely no limit, nor did she ever need to make any actual payments on it, he would have recommended many other fabulous outfits. As it was, he stood happy with his profits for the day. In one afternoon he had made enough money to keep his life in relative comfort for several months. He wished them well and paid them every respect possible, hoping such big spenders would become regular customers in the years to come.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight - Desecration**

Debating what to do next with the day, Tifa had suggested Aerith give her a tour of the slums. After all, it was to be the closest thing she had to a home for some time. She had wanted to see more of Sector Five's market stalls after seeing the fine jewellery they created there the day before. Aerith wanted to make a quick run to the church to check her flowers so they found it being a common destination. Stopping briefly at Aerith's home to drop off their dresses, they made their way out to Sector Five. The market stalls were already bustling with local people shifting whatever wares they could find in the slums. Everything from everyday groceries the better connected locals could get imported from farmland out to the east of the city, weapons from Kalm's metalworkers, and jewellery made from the scraps left over from the city construction reworked to make something more aesthetically pleasing. One stall even carried a small selection of low quality materia that occasionally cropped up in a small cavern south of the city.

Since the stalls were busy with the locals buying what they needed and the area was far too crowded, they decided it would be best to come back later when they could look around in peace without getting in the way, and wandered over to the church. They could make out the faint outlines of a group of small children just outside the dark wooden doors, sifting through baskets of junk they had gathered from the vast piles of rubble either side of the church looking for rare treasures. That was how the orphans got by, mostly. They were small enough to reach the nooks and crannies the adults couldn't quite get to, often finding valuable materials for the local crafters to make use of. They earned just enough money to make sure they had food, and those without homes found shelter from the elements in the church, staying in the back rooms now that Zack had crashed through the ceiling some months ago and hand't had time between his missions to finish repairs yet.

The children came running the moment they caught sight of Aerith. They all knew her well and considered her a mother figure of sorts, looking to her for advice when times were troubling. They told her all the local gossip, and in recent months they had starting telling her any news of Shinra they came across after seeing Zack visit from time to time. Many of them had come to look up to Zack as something of a playful older brother figure. Some even contemplated joining Soldier to be like him after hearing tales of his adventures. They were all happy that Aerith had someone special in her life. They saw the smile only Zack's presence could bring forth and welcomed the joy he brought into her life. It didn't take long for them to notice the ring, ask questions, and trigger a giddy explanation from her. Tifa could only stand by and watch while Aerith giggled uncontrollably.

The children joined them as they pulled open the heavy oak doors of the church, following closely behind Aerith as she strode through the rows of ancient wooden pews to the flowerbed at the end. The mid-morning light shone through holes in the unfinished upper plate and through the stained glass windows, dedicated to deities long forgotten in the modern age. The church served no purpose from any religious standing, nor had it done for generations. The flowerbed stood proud in the sunlight, its white and yellow blossoms opening to receive the precious energy that would be denied to them anywhere else in the city, barring the garden outside Aerith's home. The delightful scent they produced filled all who viewed them with joy and peace, both rarities in the dark mechanised city of Midgar.

The flowers were all healthy and needed little attention, but force of habit from months of careful tending to them made Aerith check everything over. The children helped her as best they could, expressing their gratitude for all the help they received from her. They hummed simple tunes as they lightly sprinkled water on the weaker blooms, happy to be making themselves useful. Tifa offered her help also, but found herself a little superfluous. She wandered the isles between the pews, admiring the artwork on the stained glass.

Her flower tending completed, Aerith gestured for Tifa to join them as the children sat in a circle around her. She sat opposite Aerith, facing the doors as they sat around the flowerbed. The children wanted to talk about Aerith and Zack, and to find out more about Tifa. Any friend of Aerith was a friend of theirs. They introduced themselves and asked all manner of questions of Tifa. They wanted to know everything about their new acquaintance. She answered as best she could, stumbling when they asked her if she had a boyfriend like Aerith did. She finally had Cloud in her life the way she had always dreamed, but it had only been a few days since his return to Nibelhiem. She hadn't quite adjusted to being a part of a couple just yet. The children giggled as she blushed, and laughed out loud when Aerith started to blush too, thoughts of her own change of status from being a girlfriend to a fiancé still making her as giddy as a schoolgirl at a rock concert.

The heavy wooden doors swung open with a groaning rumble, and everyone turned to greet their unexpected guests. The children shuffled together behind Aerith and Tifa as a group of black-suited men strode through the doorway, all with ill-favoured looks of serious business about them. At the head of the group came a familiar face. The red haired man who had visited Tifa earlier that morning brushed the crimson bangs from his vision and walked slowly towards them.

"Didn't expect to be seeing you again so soon, Ms Lockhart. Enjoying our gift?" said the red haired man. Another sidled up next to him, far more serious looking. He was utterly bald and wore dark glasses. He had an aura of quiet menace around him, the counterbalance to his partner's lively and almost child-like playful side. "Don't think you got my name this morning. I'm Reno. This is Rude."

Tifa smiled at them, but stopped when she glanced over at Aerith, recoiled in fear. "What's wrong? You know these guys or something?"

Aerith nodded slowly. "They're the ones that follow me everywhere. They say they need me for some sort of science experiment in the Shinra building. They've even followed me home before. Please make them go, Tifa."

Tifa turned to face Reno again and tried to produce the most aggressive look her young face could muster. "Why are you here, Reno? Are you chasing Aerith?"

Reno glanced at Aerith, now almost shivering in fear. They had come after her before, but never in such large numbers. It had always been one or two agents tailing her, keeping track of her until she was needed. Now the time had come when she was indeed needed. The order for her capture had come from high in the corporation, too high up to be questioned by anyone present. They had been told she was to come to no harm whatsoever. She was to be returned to Shinra Tower in perfect condition, regardless of circumstances. Any resistance was to be crushed.

"I'm afraid so. We need her up at Shinra Tower. Gonna have to ask her nicely to tag along. Sorry to be such a bother."

"I don't think she wants to go. Look at her. You're scaring her. She's no use to anyone at Shinra. Why do you want her so badly?"

Rude moved forward and adjusted his dark glasses, his hands clad in thick black leather gloves. "That girl is the last of the Cetra. The Ancients. Professor Hojo has ordered she be placed in custody immediately."

Reno slapped at his partner's chest to stop him talking. "Protective custody, of course. The Cetra have amazing powers, see. The professor thinks that with Sephiroth gone, people might come after her. You know, abuse her powers, take advantage of the situation."

Tifa eyed him dubiously, seeing the fear on Aerith's face. "Somehow I doubt your intentions. Besides, she's engaged to the Soldier who killed Sephiroth, another First Class is a close friend, and if all else fails she has me. What more protection could she need?"

"Oh, so Zack finally popped the question, did he? Congrats. But you have to admit, he's not always here to protect you, is he? We think it's better you come stay with us for a while. Just until everything settles down. Who knows? Maybe the professor can help you find out more about these powers of yours."

Aerith shuffled backwards, now visibly shaking in terror. "I don't need protection. It's only you that follows me around every day. I'm only unsafe because of you. Leave me alone. Zack will be home soon. He will take care of me. Now go away!"

Reno shook his head. "Sorry, but the boss said not to take no for an answer. We have to take you with us, whether you like it or not. I'd rather you came with us without any more hassle, you know? Wouldn't want anyone to get hurt."

Tifa stepped forward, fists clenched, ready for battle. "Don't even try it. You touch her and you'll have me to answer to, not your boss."

Reno smirked and drew a small extendable steel baton from a clip on his belt, hidden beneath his jacket. A red mark on the grip sent sparks through the sharp tip when pressed, enough to immobilise a target with one or two strikes while leaving little in the way of lasting damage. With a deft flick of his wrist, the baton extended to its full length, ready for anything.

"So be it, Ms Lockhart. Shame really. We were rather getting on there for a moment."

Reno charged forward and swung his baton directly at Tifa's head, but he sorely underestimated her. She ducked beneath the blow and punched him directly in the stomach, a devastating blow that left him badly winded for a moment. He regained his footing and smiled at her. Usually his targets presented no sport at all.

"So, there's some fight in you after all. Look, I don't wanna hurt you. You've been through enough, what with Nibelhiem and all. Just step aside and let me do my job, will ya?"

Tifa smirked and dropped into the fighting stance she had learned over the last few years from her beloved martial arts teacher Zangan back in Nibelhiem. "I don't think so. You can't just take people by force. You're no better than Sephiroth. You want her, you'll have to go through me."

She charged forward and struck at Reno with a quick combo attack, a swift flurry of punched that left him on the back heel. As he stepped back to evade the blows, he moved his arms out to keep his balance, leaving his chest open. Tifa immediately took advantage of his moment of weakness, striking with her palms to send him hurtling backwards into a long wooden pew, smashing it into splinters. He struggled to maintain his balance, but stepped forward and re-raised his defences as Tifa came in to follow up her attack. She threw a straight right at his head but struck only air as he evaded. She felt a sharp pain in her abdomen as sparks jumped from the tip of his baton into her exposed flesh, forcing her to retreat in pain.

"Don't just stand there, you idiots. Get the girl back to the tower. Rude, are you gonna help or what?"

Rude stepped towards Aerith as Reno kept Tifa occupied, his companions surrounding her to cut off any escape route. The children ran for cover in the back rooms of the church, cowering from the terrifying men striding purposefully towards their most trusted friend. Aerith shuddered and cowered, too scared to move, too frightened to run. Rude grasped her wrists and hauled her to her feet, dragging her away in his powerful grip. As Tifa and Reno fought, the remaining suits took Aerith away to a cacophony of terrified shrieks, trampling across the flowerbed as she struggled for her freedom.

As his companions reached the doorway, Reno broke off his attack and raised his baton to keep Tifa at arm's length. "Sorry, but it looks like we win all the same. You gonna calm down and let us go, or am I gonna have to hurt that pretty face? I'd rather not, if you don't mind."

Tifa yelled a battle cry and leapt at him, lunging wildly in anger. Reno sidestepped in the most nonchalant way, striking the back of her head as she passed him with a swift and powerful elbow. She collapsed with the force of the impact, smashing into the wooden floorboards with a deafening thud. All too late she realised he had been toying with her the whole time, able to defeat her on a whim, keeping her distracted so his companions could act. Her vision faded as he walked away, a look of disapproval etched on his usually cheerful face. He caught up with his companions at the door as she finally lost consciousness, her arm outstretched as if to will Aerith back to safety as she blacked out.

"I thought I told you guys not to tread on the flowers."

The sound of chaotic battle rang out in the core of Gongaga's reactor as thin crimson struck broad grey, two heroes locked in a duel for honour and ideals. The steel walkway shook with every impact as the strikes of two warriors at their physical peaks carved into the concrete supports with every strike gone astray. Neither showed any sign of tiring or backing down. The strength of their convictions would see them through to whatever end.

Genesis leapt at Zack from an overhead beam, his shimmering crimson rapier thrust forth to stab at the very heart of his target with a speed any normal man would deem impossible. His strike was off by mere millimetres as Zack dodged, the reactions of a Soldier First Class more than a match for anything Genesis could throw at him. The elegantly thin blade tore through the sleeve of his uniform where his chest had been moments before, but connected with no flesh. Zack broke free with a simple step back, swinging his own blade with devastating force, only to find that Genesis had used his own gifts as Soldier to evade the blow. His rapier glowed with mystic power, and showers of sparkling flame spewed from the tip, streaking across the arena, deflecting with ease by the sheer girth of the Buster Sword. Those that missed their target embedded themselves in the pipelines that wrapped around the field of battle, sending sparks and debris in every direction.

Zack focussed his mind for a brief moment, feeling a familiar force permeate every cell in his body. He concentrated the force to the edge of his blade, and with a powerful chop he sent an azure flare of purest energy hurtling towards his foe. It struck home, his flowing red garments catching alight with the impact, forcing him to roll and extinguish the flames. The dark haired warrior leapt high to press the advantage, slamming his weapon down, missing his target by the narrowest of margins as Genesis rolled out of the way at the very last possible second. He swung his still glowing blade as he spun to his feet, slicing wildly in a devilish dance as he rose, preventing anything getting close to him with an impenetrable wall of steel.

Genesis knew he was losing the battle. He had been kept on the back heel by his opponent's dogged determination and oddly calm demeanour. This was not the immature puppy that he was used to. Zack had matured through his battle with Sephiroth. He no longer lashed out wildly. He had learned to control his emotions, pressing only the worthy advantages, biding his time to make every strike the best it could be. He had become a much more powerful Soldier for his experience, and he was now strong enough to be a deadly threat. It would take all his strength and cunning to achieve victory here. He backed away from Zack as if to call a momentary truce, lowering his blade. He knew Zack valued honour above all else. He would not strike at a target whose defences were lowered.

"I see you have grown, Zack. Not quite the annoying puppy you once were."

Zack kept his guard up and his eyes locked on his foe. He was indeed more mature than he had been before Nibelhiem, but he was no fool. He was not so easily deceived as to lower his defences to this facade and leave himself wide open to Genesis' unmatchable speed. The materia embedded in his blade began to glow as his focus increased, the ever-unnerving green shimmer of the mystical crystals powering up, waiting to unleash the ancient powers locked within at a moment's notice.

"If there's one thing I learned, it's that Angeal was right. Embrace your dreams. And protect your honour as Soldier. The only thing he got wrong was his dedication to Shinra. It's not about rank, or the strength of Soldier. It's about doing what's right. I fought Sephiroth because it was the right thing to do, not because it was my duty as Soldier."

"So, you finally understand then. We're not so different, you and I. We fight for what we see as right. All that changes is the perspective from which we view the world. Perhaps in a better life we would have been brothers, you and I."

"You can still put an end to all this. I came here to stop you hurting any more innocent people. Rise above your desire for vengeance. Let go of this."

"I'm sorry, Zack. But I cannot. Shinra had stolen not only my life, but those of everyone close to me. They are by no means innocent, and they must suffer for what they have done. What they will continue to do if they remain unchecked. Do they not pursue the one you love also? Oh yes, word has reached me of the flower girl from the slums. They say she is an Ancient. How long do you think they will let her roam free, Zack? How long before Shinra steals her powers for themselves, and all the world is forced to bow before them?"

Zack's calm expression finally broke at the thought of his fiancée held captive, tormented in Shinra laboratories for powers she never wanted and did not understand. His lips contorted into an evil scowl as he gripped his sword tighter, ready to strike. His materia glowed brighter, the surge of power running through him almost too much to control.

"Yes, Zack. You know it is only a matter of time before you too suffer as we did. You fight for those who would hurt the one you love. Sephiroth's death showed me the truth of it. We are all doomed, our time coming closer every moment. I have sought the gift of the goddess to extend my time. But is it not a selfish quest? Should I wish the goddess to see me worthy of her gifts, should I not turn from the dark path Sephiroth walked? He too sought vengeance upon those who inflicted harm, in his own way. Yet he could not recognise friend from foe. He became the very evil he wished to defeat. I will earn the gift of the goddess, and my life along with it by punishing the wicked, those who defile all creation for their own ends."

Zack finally lowered his blade, the glow of his materia dimming as he began to understand. Genesis was a rogue, yes. But the entire premise of his mission here was to put an end to a threat to Shinra's stability. He had thought it the right thing to do, for the sake of the people of Midgar and other cities under Shinra control. He protected the people from Shinra's enemies, but had never stopped to consider exactly why he had allied himself with them. Genesis' words had been the spark that birthed an epiphany deep in his mind. While it was true that he had friends in Shinra, he could not deny the dark deeds of the corporation any longer.

He had naively claimed to be a hero, fighting to save people, yet he lacked the courage to think where his allegiances should truly lie. He had allowed the few good members of Shinra such as Cissnei and Tseng, and his memories of Angeal, to cloud his vision. He had come here to fight Genesis to cover up Shinra's lies through childish faith in them. At the time it felt like wisdom, but it had been little more than blind devotion. Why should Shinra's stability matter when they commit such horrific evils? Their removal would cause intense upheavals in the world, but was that not better than waiting for the tragedy of Nibelhiem to repeat itself?

What of Aerith? He knew she was being followed for her status as an Ancient. Tseng had told him they simply wanted to observe her, for her own safety. But the only other Ancient known to exist in these dark days was Jenova, the twisted horror that had sent Sephiroth insane. All Soldiers, himself included, drew their power from her cells implanted in their bodies. Shinra had butchered Jenova's body in warped experiments in their search for power. He had never considered the truth of it before. In his heart he was still a child, seeking the glory from the stories of Soldiers he had read in the newspapers as a boy many years ago. He had become a tool of Shinra. He had struck down any that opposed them, never once questioning his orders.

"Genesis, what is it you plan to do?"

His fellow Soldier smiled. "Ah, you finally ask the questions. I mean no harm to those who do none, Zack. But many remain in Shinra that have no place among the living. Professor Hojo, the man who began all of this sordid business by desecrating his unborn son for the sake of scientific study. Those who stood by knowing what evil he committed and did nothing. The heads of Shinra, who crush any who threaten their desires for ultimate power. All must pay for their crimes. I do not ask you to join me, Zack. I would not impugn your honour by asking you to betray those close to you."

"Then what would you ask of me?"

Genesis' black wing spread from his shoulder, loose feathers falling to the floor around him as he sheathed his sword. "Just stay out of it. I shall spare those who deserve it, including your friends. They may serve the wrong side but they are not beyond salvation. Return to your lover, Zack. You never found me here. I was long gone, with no hint of my destination. Let me regain my honour by making sure this never happens again. You can have peace. Live your life with those you love. If such deeds make me worthy of life, I shall gladly accept. If not, at least I can return to the Lifestream knowing I did what I could."

With that his ebony wing flapped, kicking up a storm of dust from the walkway as he lifted off. He soared high in the air, through a hole in the ceiling where construction was still underway, and hovered high above.

"Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return."

Knowing those words may be his last, he smiled at the one remaining Soldier, knowing he understood the truth of it now. His life may have been destroyed by the evil of Shinra, but in death he would find redemption.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine – Finality**

Gongaga was silent upon his return. Cloud and the extraction teams had left none behind, ensuring the safety of his village should anything had gone wrong. Not that anyone familiar with the town could tell the difference. Even in times of high activity, Gongaga was usually quiet as a tomb. This was how he remembered most of his childhood. Strange that back then he had craved adventure and excitement more than anything in the world. Now, having finally found all the excitement he could handle, all he cared about was getting back to the peace and quiet he had so badly taken for granted in his youth. Only now his idyllic peace took the form of Aerith's arms wrapped around him, utterly destroying the fears and doubts in his mind by her presence alone.

Though he had spent years denying it, Genesis was right. It was only a matter of time before another tragedy like Nibelhiem claimed the lives of yet more innocent people. Before he left he had heard rumours from Kunsel of an incident in the Corel Mountains, but details had been hard to come by in the short time he had to prepare for his mission. How long would it be before Aerith was used as a tool for their power games? It was time to cast off his life as Soldier. If he was ever to be a hero, he had to find his own ideals to fight for.

Cloud stood waiting for him on the forest road, practising with his sword now that his work was done. His dedication to duty was admirable. His technique was progressing smoothly as well. It would not be long before he was able to hold his own in a real battle against something more worthy than a few bugs. He reminded Zack strongly of how he had been back in the early days of his career. Greener than Marlborough tentacles and all too eager to prove his worth. In many ways he was actually ahead of Zack. He had killed Sephiroth, not as a matter of duty to Shinra, but to avenge the deaths of those closest to him, and to protect the woman he loved dearly. He had arrived naturally at where Zack had to be led by the words of Genesis. He was young and inexperienced, but he had the makings of a great man.

"Guess that means mission accomplished, boss?" he asked as Zack approached.

"Something like that. No trouble on this end?"

Cloud sheathed his sword and shrugged. "A few fiends decided to make trouble, but nothing major. No casualties."

Zack smiled as best he could, though his eyes betrayed the torment still running through his mind. He pulled his phone from a pouch at his hip and hit the speed dial key. He couldn't shake the fear that Genesis' words were too close for comfort. He needed to speak to Aerith, if only to set his mind at ease, which she had always excelled at.

The phone rang endlessly on the other end. Something was wrong. She never took this long to answer. His heart beat faster as worry settled in, pacing up and down in the vain hope that it might help in some way. The phone finally clicked, and a familiar voice came through the speaker, sounding weak and weary.

"Hello?" croaked the feminine voice, so quiet it barely registered to Zack's ears.

"Wait a minute...Tifa? Is that you? Are you alright? You don't sound too good. What's going on?"

At the mention of his beloved's name, Cloud spun to face his friend, face contorted with sudden fear. "What's happened? What's going on? Put her on loud speaker."

Zack tapped a button on his keypad and Tifa's voice came through much louder. "They've taken her, Zack. Men in suits. Reno and Rude. They took Aerith to the tower. I'm sorry. I tried to save her but...I wasn't strong enough."

"Are you ok? Are you safe?"

"Is that Cloud? I ache all over, Cloud. That Reno guy sure packs a punch. I could sure use a hero right about now."

"Get somewhere safe and wait for us, Tifa. We're on our way back now."

"Don't keep me waiting this time." She said with a groan as the pain became too much to hide. She hung up and Zack flipped the phone closed, sliding it back into the pouch.

His eyes blazed with uncontrollable fury and he lashed out, kicking a fallen branch by the road with enough force to send it flying. He yelled all manner of curses aloud. Everything Genesis had said was true. He should never have come here.

"Cloud, let's go. We're getting her back. I don't care if I have to destroy all of headquarters to do it. If you have any objections I suggest you stay here out of my way."

Zack secured his sword at his back and made off down the path to the airship as fast as he could go. Cloud did not hesitate to follow for a single moment.

High in Shinra Tower, Aerith shivered uncontrollably in her prison cell. Tears ran down her cheeks as she sat alone, waiting for another round of blood tests and other painful torments. The men in white lab coats would arrive every few hours, hurt her, make her feel worthless, and leave her feeling violated. The sound of footsteps in the distance filled her with fear of more pain to come. All because she carried the blood of the Ancients. She could not understand why it mattered so much. She was just a young girl wanting to go home. She thought of her real mother Ifalna, now long gone because of the haunting footsteps of Shinra. Was she to suffer the same fate?

No. Zack would come for her. He wouldn't let anyone hurt her. She closed her eyes, and the dissonant hum of the planet's voice filled her ears. She could hear many voices flowing through the Lifestream, although she still didn't fully understand why. She had heard the voice of Elmrya's husband, slain in the Wutai conflict, and had been able to deliver his final message to his wife. But she could not hear Zack's voice. That could only mean one thing.

He was alive, and he was coming for her.  
***

The airship had landed in the fields north of the forest of Gongaga when it delivered the troop transports earlier that morning, and to their relief it had not moved. They had run into the extraction squads on their way out of the forest and instructed them to return the citizens of Gongaga to their homes. Zack's parents had wanted him to stay and talk, but upon learning of Aerith's kidnapping they did not press the matter. They wished him luck and promised to help the townsfolk as best they could. The airship itself was nothing flashy, but it was small and fast, exactly what they needed. The captain had cast off the moment Zack gave the order without any questions whatsoever, and before they knew it, the familiar sights of Midgar loomed in the distance.

"Shinra Tower, this is airship Mystral requesting landing clearance for Soldier priority platform."

"Airship Mystral, permission denied. Landing clearance cannot be granted at this time. Remove yourself from this airspace immediately or you will be fired upon."

The captain exchanged a few bemused glances with his crew, but figured it would be best not to press their luck on the matter. Setting down on the outside of the city, they bid their goodbyes to the Soldiers as they made their way to the immense metal gates to Sector Five.

"This must be Hojo's doing. When we met with the President he told me that Hojo had demanded we be turned over to him. He was turned down. Best guess is that he wants to continue his research on the ultimate super soldier now that Sephiroth is dead. He's obsessive. Crazy. He must have ordered Aerith's kidnapping to study her Ancient powers. Come on, we have to find Tifa and get to the tower before this can get any worse."

"We're sure to encounter resistance, Zack. Are we gonna have to fight?"

Zack didn't even look back as he ran towards Aerith's church. "I'd rather not, but I'm not allowing anyone to hurt Aerith, or stand in my way because they're just following orders. I've had it with Shinra. I'm not a part of it any more. If you aren't ready to fight by my side, then stay with Tifa and keep out of my way."

Tifa was sat by the doors of the church waiting for them, clutching her stomach in pain. She saw them approach and struggled to her feet. Cloud ran to her side and checked her over, making use of his first aid training from his time as a guard. She was bruised and exhausted but had little in the way of lasting harm. He pulled an emergency potion from his pouch and handed it to her, the faintly pulsing blue light within soothing her soul as the medicine soothed her wounds. Her bruises faded, her exhaustion began to pass, and her head stopped aching almost immediately.

"Let me come with you. Aerith's my friend too. I have to help save her. Please, Zack. I promise not to get in the way. I won't do anything...rash."

Zack had nothing to say, he simply nodded and gestured for them to follow as he ran as fast as he could to the stairs that climbed high above the slums to the plate, and from there to the tower.

Shinra Tower never failed to intimidate any who looked upon it. It stood at over sixty floors high, lit by golden spotlights from every angle. Its glass and polished steel sides almost glowed with the light refracting across every surface, giving it the appearance of a shimmering colossus of light in the darkness of the early evening. The Shinra banner covered several floors, creating an imposing visage which much of the world had come to fear. This was the home of Soldier, the greatest fighting force in the known world. It was until recently the home of Sephiroth, the supposedly immortal warrior. None dared approach this tower, no matter their complaint with the company.

Zack had once been proud to walk up the stone steps to the main reception. It had filled him with a sense of purpose. He had felt at home here, where he had the chance to make a difference to people's lives by serving the needs of the corporation. Now he was left with no choice but to throw it all away to save the woman he loved. He felt brief pangs of sorrow as he looked upon the tower for what would almost certainly be the last time, but quickly dismissed them. He had no time for traitors. He checked his equipment one last time, looked to Cloud and Tifa to make sure they were ready, and strode into the reception. He found himself filled with a sense of purpose much the same as he once had, only now it was personal.

Tseng and the Turks under his command were waiting for them in the reception hall, their immaculate black suits standing out like sore thumbs against the polished white marble of the walls around them. Shinra had spared no expense on their tower, nor on their staff. Tifa clenched her fists as she spotted Reno and Rude waiting for them, along with two women she didn't recognise, and Tseng himself. Tseng stepped forward to greet them, his demeanour a carefully calculated mix of calm and intimidating.

"What brings you home so soon, Zack? Did Genesis not put up much of a fight?"

Zack drew his sword and held it to Tseng's throat, his face full of fury and determination. "You promised me you'd take care of her, you bastard! You lied to me! Let her go right now or I'll tear this place apart, and you along with it."

Tseng stepped back, but Zack tracked his movements, keeping the tip of the blade at his throat. "You don't understand, Zack. She's the last of the Ancients. We brought her here for her own protection. We have her best interests at heart, you have to see that."

Tifa strode forward and punched Tseng directly in the eye, causing a small rivulet of blood to trickle down his cheek. "You call kidnapping an innocent girl and assaulting her friends 'protection'? You're a disgrace. Let her go!"

Tseng wiped the blood from his eye as Cissnei, the red haired woman, stepped forward to speak. "Zack, please. Don't do this. We have our orders. We may not agree with them, but we have to follow them. Surely you understand that?"

Zack shook his head and clenched his fingers tighter around the grip of his sword, his eyes burning with rage like a supernova. "I'm not one of you anymore. I can't stand by and let you torment the woman I love, or any innocent person, and then tell me you're just following orders. I am free, not a puppet of the corporation. If I have to defeat you to do what is right, then so be it. I would prefer not to hurt any of you, but I will do what I must."

Tseng smiled just barely enough to notice. "So, you finally understand, Zack. I guess you've found your own way to be a hero." He gestured to his comrades to stand back, and while Reno and Rude exchanged glances, nobody questioned him. "I'm not in the mood to fight heroes today. Besides, you and your friends finished off Sephiroth. I doubt there would be much point in trying to stop you by force. Go, Zack. She's being held in the prison cells on the science division floor."

With a faint smile and a sweet wave from Cissnei, the Turks turned and walked away, leaving the path to the elevators clear. Zack showed his respect to his former colleague with the faintest of nods, and made off up the stairs to the lifts.

As they reached the top of the stairs, the guards by the elevator doors turned and opened fire on them. Zack dived to the side as Cloud and Tifa took cover, raising his sword and blocking the hail of bullets thrown his way, each impact taking a tiny fragment of his beloved weapon away. As he moved to defeat them, an intense jet of flame emanated from the stone plant pot behind him, scorching them to the bone. Their rifles fell to the floor with a clash, and Cloud emerged from behind cover clutching the still glowing materia in his hand. Zack nodded and made for the elevator as quickly as he could as the alarms started to blare.

Even close to the top of the tower, locked deep in the science division's specimen cells, Aerith could hear the cacophony of the alarms. Men in lab coats were filled with sudden fear, having never expected the tower to actually come under attack. They flitted back and forth securing various specimen samples and computer work stations, red and flustered faces full of worry. Only one man remained calm. The only effect the alarm had on his ice cold demeanour was his glasses slipping ever so slightly further down his nose. His thin, sinister lips twisted into an evil smile as he watched her closely. He rarely spoke, but it was always derogatory comments towards the other staff, insulting what he deemed to be limited intellect.

While the alarms filled the floor with uncertainty, Aerith found hope in the noise. He had come for her. Zack was on his way here. He would put things right.

Cloud ducked under the cold metal fist of the security robot, slashing at the exposed wiring under its arm. Sparks flew across the floor as his attacker juddered and crashed to the floor, its circuitry shot, leaving it incapable of movement. Zack brought down his Buster Sword directly through the centre of another, carving it clean in two. The third found its end as Tifa climbed on its back, yanking fists full of wiring from its head, sending the machine into a berserker rage until it crashed into the wall and ceased to function.

The tower's defences were fully active now. Guards and what few members of Soldier remained had swarmed into the endless corridors to challenge them, but none could survive Zack's fury. A trail of unconscious grunts and bloodied corpses marked the path of their ascent to the upper floors of the tower, and while they had tried to knock out rather than kill their opponents, there had been many casualties.

Zack raised his sword high above his head and smashed it into the thick metal door blocking their passage further on. The door was instantly wrenched from its moorings and crashed into the opposite wall, much to the shock of the squad of guards waiting on the other side. Cloud took advantage of their moment of disarray to dive into the centre of the group, slashing calmly but swiftly at them. He seemed to have a natural talent for swordsmanship, with every strike hitting home. Two of the four found themselves incapacitated as deep gashes spawned on their legs, another took a strike from the pommel of Cloud's sword directly to the nose, knocking him unconscious instantly. The leader barely had time to raise his assault rifle before he found it sliced neatly in half by the razor sharp blade, leaving him totally unarmed. The guard raised his hands in surrender and moved out of their way, letting them pass without further incident before tending to his teammates injuries.

A sudden explosion rocked the tower, the windows shattering around them. It had come from higher up the tower, and Zack insisted they found new speed to get to Aerith as swiftly as possible. They found their way forward suddenly full of blood trails and corpses, none of which they could account for. They rushed through the crimson rivers that had been the corridors, crashing into the science division with weapons raised and fists clenched, ready to complete their task.

Aerith clutched at the edge of her containment cell, its glass walls stained with the blood of the fallen that littered the cold metal floor around her. Hideous creatures swarmed around the labs, ripping the scientists to shreds. Guards had surged in from the emergency elevators, spraying bullets wildly into the chaos, but they too were meeting their doom at the hands of the myriad of fiends that were swiftly gaining dominion over the entire floor. Barricading in the control room was the thin lipped man that had been pressing his nose to the glass right until this had kicked off.

The explosion had taken everyone by surprise as scientists had been scanning her in the holding cell, surrounded by a shimmering golden field of energy to prevent any escape. Then the fiends had come, from winged devils to snarling wolves, led by a vast and unspeakably horrifying wall of pale flesh that she swore had stared at her as it had torn through the lab, leaving death and chaos in its wake. A sickening trail of bloodied corpses followed the beast wherever it went, from the cargo elevator it has risen from above in to the stairs that led to the higher levels. She didn't know what it was, but she could feel its power as it had gazed upon her, chilling her to the bone. Her mind had been flooded with dark visions of this creature being what she feared most; the beast that would finally get the better of her fiancée, his uniform shredded and his face contorted in unimaginable pain, the creature's sinister smile and cold, dead eyes invading her vision with a laugh that tore every fragment of joy from her.

She held back the tears of terror, wrapping her arms around her knees and refusing to look up until it was all over. Zack would be there soon. He would save her. She was sure of it.

The doors to the main lab smashed open, but the scene which greeted them was beyond anything they could have expected. Fearsome beasts bounded between the machinery, attacking anything they could see. Their dark plate-like skin was covered with the blood of countless victims both guard and scientist alike. Zack recognised them; a rare fiend known as Shadow Creepers. Few had seen them in recent years. Even fewer saw them and lived.

Aerith sat huddled in a ball in a vast glass jar, lit by a faint yellow light of the encasing energy field which clashed with the blaring red of the alarms. She was safe and unharmed, much to their relief. Zack rushed forward, his sword cutting a swathe through the fiends which dared challenge him. Cloud followed closely, observing his friend's strikes carefully, guarding his companions as they tried and failed to find a way to release Aerith from her prison. Zack wanted nothing more than to smash the glass to powder with his sword and hold her in his arms, but with the energy field still at full strength he couldn't do anything. She looked up, sensing something amiss, and saw her beloved fiancée arrived to rescue her. All doubt and fear was instantly banished from her mind, supplanted by hope and joy.

The few remaining Shadow Creepers finished butchering the guards by the blood-soaked freight elevator and leapt towards them, fresh blood dripping from their vicious serrated jaws. Their razor sharp talons and claws collided with the steel of the Soldier's blades while Tifa leapt to the side, crashing into a wooden crate as her attacker struck the energy field around Aerith, vaporising on contact. Cloud kicked his opponent harshly in its soft underbelly, distracting it for just a brief moment, but it was all he needed. Following up with a powerful thrust into its eye, he robbed the creature of its life in an instant as Zack slammed his own fiend into the floor, his boot crashing down on its neck with a sickening crack of snapping bones as it breathed its last.

Nothing remained to oppose them until Aerith gestured towards the room above them. Only the obsessive scientist and two guards had survived the onslaught, barricaded in the thickly armoured main control room. Zack recognised the man instantly, though he wished he didn't.

"Hojo. Release her immediately." He yelled towards the room, knowing they could hear him on the vast network of monitors in there. The speakers above the main window crackled into life as Hojo pressed a short series of commands into a keyboard.

"Ahh, Zack Fair. And your murderous companion. Cloud, was it? Not that it matters. A lucky shot is hardly cause for recognition, is it? Tell me, why would I want to release such a marvellous specimen as this?"

Zack raised his sword and made ready for another assault. "Let me put it in terms a maniac like you might understand, Hojo. Release her, or I will kill you. Surely your so-called genius is a specimen worth preserving before her."

"Attempting to placate my ego will get you nowhere, Soldier. Even if you do make a valid point. I hold the cards here. With a simple button press I can purge that tank there, obliterating your beloved in an instant. I suggest you lower your sword and cease your pointless hostilities, unless you want to see the woman you love vaporised before your very eyes."

With a heavy heart, Zack lowered his sword, encouraging Cloud to do the same. "What do you want, Hojo?"

"Simple. As you say, my genius is something to be preserved. You will escort me to safety immediately, or she will die. If you try anything, she will die. Surely none of you want that."

Zack cursed under his breath as he tried to think of a way around it all. He couldn't trust any promise Hojo made about Aerith's safety, and even if he did keep his word, if he survived today he would only return to recapture her at a later date. His mind whirled with possible solutions but none led to Aerith's guaranteed safety.

With a deafening crash of crumbling concrete walls and bending steel, the roof of the control room suddenly began to collapse, warping outwards as a twisting sphere of utter dark sprung into being above. Zack recognised it, but could not account for it. It was gravity magic, and powerful gravity magic at that. Energy waves emanated from the black sphere, ripping apart the control room and everything within. The guards found themselves sucked into the vortex, where the intensity of the gravitational force crushed their bones into powder, killing them instantly. Hojo cowered beneath a workstation, clinging to a gap between the steel floor plates with all his strength.

The dark void of the gravity magic dissipated, and the faint yellow glow of the energy field around Aerith's prison vanished, the computers controlling the energy levels utterly annihilated by the assault. Zack ran to her side and helped her out of the glass container, holding her tight as an all too familiar sound filled his ears.

It was the flapping of a single wing.

Genesis was here.


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten – Dissolution.**

Gliding gracefully through a gaping hole in the outer walls, Genesis landed softly next to the professor, his crimson sword glowing and ready. His cellular degeneration was now critical. His hair was now totally white and falling out, his skin was covered in cuts that had failed to knit together, even his ebony feathers had started to take on a slight silvery tint around the edges. His breathing was shallow, and every movement seemed to cause him strain. But he kept going, pushing through the pain that wracked his body with sheer grit and determination.

"My soul, corrupted by vengeance, hath endured torment to find the end of the journey in my own salvation, and your eternal slumber."

Hojo stood and stared at Genesis, looking him up and down as if analysing a work of art in a gallery as he pulled himself free of the rubble of the control room, walking slowly around the remains of the lab. "Hmm. Indeed. Clearly the product of a lesser mind. I see your cellular degeneration is near terminal, former Soldier. Killing me won't save you."

Genesis raised his sword with a groan, the strain showing on his face. "Maybe not me. But either way, you will answer for your crimes, professor Hojo."

"Oh, so this is some vain attempt at redemption, is it? Pathetic foolishness. But I should not have expected intellect from a failed experiment, I suppose."

Genesis slashed at the professor, the very tip of the blade cutting a thin line into his cheek, drawing a tiny trickle of blood. "Your genius is at an end. Sephiroth is dead. Your greatest achievement defeated by a boy. If anyone is a failure here, it would be you."

"You believe so? Ask yourself what it is that truly defeated Sephiroth. In a straight fight, this boy would lay dead with the others from that hick town. The Soldier there was sent crashing into the walls and left for dead. The girl was lucky to get close to him, even luckier to survive. Sephiroth was only defeated because of the distracting presence of Jenova. I suppose I really should have told him what really happened to his mother instead of telling him Jenova had birthed him. What truly defeated Sephiroth was nothing more than a slight oversight on my part. With all your powers and sense of right and wrong, you still failed until I became involved, thus proving that the only match for my intellect is in fact my own intellect."

Tifa looked on Hojo as she would look upon a pile of sentient animal dirt, struggling to comprehend how anyone could be so monumentally arrogant and self obsessed. He spoke of the entire incident as if it were nothing more than another experiment. Another day at the office for him. The deaths of everyone she held dear meant so little to him that it didn't even necessitate the smallest show of respect. She wanted to leap forward and tear him limb from limb, but Cloud held her back.

"Save your fury for a battle you can win, girl. I'm not so much the fool as to inhabit such a dangerous station in life without creating a way to keep the odds in my favour." Hojo raised his arm to reveal a pistol he kept hidden beneath his lab coat at all times. "Don't move, Soldier. You may be able to dodge bullets, but are your companions so lucky?"

Zack lowered his blade, but looked upon Hojo with a wry smile. "You're screwed anyway, Hojo. The moment you leave the room, you lose your target and we have a clear shot. If you come close enough to try taking them hostage, there's no way you can react quick enough to get a shot off before we kill you. So unless you plan to stand there until you die of old age, which you'll reach a long time before we do, then you may as well surrender and accept your fate."

Hojo pondered the young man's logic for a brief moment before shaking his head. "Well, if indeed the game is up for me whichever way, then perhaps I should simply kill them now and be done with it." He fired off two shots, one at each of the girls, but neither struck home.

The bullets embedded in Genesis' chest as he stepped in their path, tearing through his faded crimson cloaks and leathers with ease. Genesis dropped to his knees as he coughed up blood, but his actions had achieved all he had desired. He had saved the innocent, and his sudden movement had been enough of a momentary distraction to allow his allies to act. Hojo grunted as he found Cloud's sword embedded deep in his stomach, his pistol dropping to the floor with the shock. The boy had moved with astonishing speed, thrusting his blade with all his might, fuelled by anger and vengeance for all the hurt that Hojo had caused, but it had not been enough.

Hojo laughed his maniacal chuckle, not even wincing as Cloud twisted his blade, his fingers tightening on the leather grip as the rage gained further ground. He struck at Cloud with his clenched fist, slamming his knuckled into the young man's cheekbone with devastating force. Cloud withdrew his blade and backpedalled as quickly as he could, blood running down his face from the impact. His sword glistened with the blood of his enemy, but little did he know the secrets that blood contained. Hojo's face twisted into a haughty snort of derision, his unmatchable arrogance growing with every moment. His fingers twitched and seemed to take on a light green hue, pulsating and swelling as he laughed his life away.

The gaping hole where Cloud's sword had been stopped oozing blood, the flesh knitting back together as astonishing regenerative powers began to take effect. His breath caught in his throat and his eyes began to bleed. His skin grew darker, the faint green hue now becoming prominent and sickly. His right arm split apart as his laughter reached a crescendo, his limbs slowly replaced with bloodied claws and unspeakable implements of fleshy torture. His eyes shone faintly with his inner madness, now exposed for the world to see.

"You did not seriously believe I would study the greatest power in the known universe and not grant myself the fruits of my research, did you?"

Clawed tendrils of discoloured flesh flew outwards to rake at the flesh of the Soldiers, slashing wildly as they leapt to one side. Tifa grabbed Aerith's arm as she cried out in fear, dragging her to safety as Hojo continued his brutal assault. Barbed tendrils struck at the edge of the Buster Sword as Zack's mighty blade cut a wide arc through the approaching viper's nest of deadly appendages, severing many and causing the deformed and alien-like Hojo to scream in pain, his voice twisted and sinister as if a part of him found some twisted pleasure in it all. Great gouts of crimson fire flashed forth from Cloud's outstretched hands, scorching the demonic form that assailed him.

Hojo raised his still human left arm as it split apart to form more deadly mutations, his face contorted with the crazed look of a man on the edge of losing control entirely. A long blade-like appendage burst out with a spray of blackening blood and the scent of burnt flesh, lunging wildly at Cloud as he raised his sword, barely blocking in time as the tip of the bone sword passed by his head by mere millimetres. Striking back with the speed afforded by his small and athletic frame, Cloud rammed his own blade into the joint where Hojo's elbow had once been, twisting and tearing at critical tendons as unspeakable ichor dripped down the blade and onto his sleeves.

The demented creature howled in agony and turned to focus on him, but this proved to be the last mistake it would ever make. With his momentary respite, Zack dug deep and called on the full extent of his powers, feeling the rush of emotions, the rage at everything Hojo had done filling his very soul until it was ready to burst from him. Leaping forward he slashed wildly, his mako-enfused eyes glowing as he delivered one utterly devastating blow after another, the power flowing through him leaving faint after images as he rained down deadly slashes. As Hojo's new body began to give up under the barrage and collapsed to its knees, Zack leapt high and focussed all his anger into one final and perfect strike, the deadly edge of the Buster Sword slamming down from high, slicing cleanly through Hojo's entire form as if it were only air, Zack's rage and power coalescing with a glowing haze along the blade and setting his foe's body aflame. His strength utterly spent, Hojo crashed to the ground with a squelch as what little remained of him lay in the pool of blood that had fallen to the cold metal plates of the floor during the brutal onslaught.

As Hojo gurgled and choked on his own blood, breathing his last as he looked into the face of the man who had almost been the equal of his prize experiment and had now killed him, he could only think with his last breath about how he could not have seen this coming. All his knowledge and genius had failed him utterly. Zack removed his blood-soaked blade from his final target, breathing a sigh of relief. It was finally over.

Genesis led in a pool of blood, his life ebbing away. He looked to Zack, the last of the true Soldier First Classes, a man he had come to respect over time. "Didn't actually expect to see you here, Zack. Just one last surprise in my life, I suppose. It seems it's up to you to put an end to all this."

"There must be some way to save you."

Genesis shook his head. "Even if you could stem the bleeding, my degeneration is about to claim my life anyway. My time has come, Zack. I must ask you to finish what I began. Bring the Shinra executives to justice. Give the power back to the people. Make the world just a little brighter for me." He coughed and spewed a small pool of blood onto the cold steel plate of the flooring. "I've done all I can. Maybe now the goddess may smile on me."

Aerith knelt by him, thanking him for his help, tears flowing down her rosy cheeks. "You must be the Ancient. Tell me, do you think the goddess will smile on me as you do now?"

"I think she will be proud of you. I can never thank you enough for what you did. So many people hurt because of me...is the power of the Ancients worth all this death?"

"Feel no guilt, the blame is not yours to accept. We are more than what we were born. It's taken me a long time to realise that. I was born a monster, yet here I lay a saviour. Life is what we make of it. Ancient or not, you are a good person. That is all you need to know." Genesis coughed and spluttered again, mere moments away from his end. "So, this is how it ends, back where it all began."

Zack crouched down and held Aerith tight, her tears flowing freely as another person died for her safety. Much like her mother Ifalna had long ago.

"To become the dew that quenches the land. To spare the sands, the seas, the skies. I offer thee this...silent...sacrifice."

Finishing his beloved poem for the last time, Genesis slumped back and his eyes closed forever. A warrior to the last, a loner for most of his life, he died surrounded by friends, smiling to the end as his body faded into a cloud of pyreflies, his soul finding its way to the Lifestream, and perhaps the embrace of the goddess he sought for so long.

The top floors of Shinra Tower were usually immaculate, reserved for the highest class of visitors and the leaders of Shinra itself. Gleaming marble floors and rich velvet drapes gave the entire floor an air of grandeur and class. The private office of the President sat above the security rooms and reception area, surrounded by glass on all sides so the executives of the corporation could view their empire from on high.

Thick trails of blood stained the formerly flawless reception; the corpses of the butchered staff lay hewn across the desks they had spent years working through the ranks just to see. The guards had been torn to pieces by some unspeakable evil, severed limbs scattered through the hallways like daemonic confetti. The former glory of the Shinra elite's private quarters had been obliterated, replaced with scenes of unimaginable darkness and gore.

The President lay slumped across his desk, surrounded by his division heads, all devoid of life. Every surface was as a painting dedicated to some dark god, every human sense offended. The scent of death hung strongly in the air. Sparks fizzed from the shattered computer monitors, piles of important looking paperwork lay strewn across the floor and the vast windows had been shattered.

Led before the desk in a deepening pool of blood was a face that almost broke Zack's nerves. His friend Kunsel, a fellow Soldier, his chest slashed open. His purple Soldier Second Class uniform was stained crimson, his sword lay broken by his side, his face frozen forever in pain.

"What did this to you? This wasn't done by a sword, it's too jagged." whispered Zack as he knelt by his old friend, blood seeping into the knees of his black uniform. He brushed his friend's eyes closed and said his goodbyes, rising to rejoin his companions as they followed the trail of blood that led to the helipad outside.

At the top of the tower, on the President's personal helipad, stood the final challenge for the Soldiers. Covered in the blood of hundreds, the twisted and sickening colossus of unearthly flesh wrapped its barbed tentacles around the last guards in its way, cutting down to the bone, casting the ravaged bodies aside. Its thin strands of silvery hair were captured in a metal band, engraved with all manner of dates and statistics. Its eyes glowed red in its sea of pale skin like the last embers burning as Hell froze over. Whip-like appendages spread from every side, ready to annihilate anything that dared approach. It was a creature they knew all too well. It was the source of all that had happened.

Jenova.

The Soldiers readied their blades as Jenova's horrifying pulsating mass turned to face them, what little it had that could be called lips curved upwards slightly in the sinister smile of purest evil. It had been referred to as female during the extensive research that had been done since its discovery, but it was clearly not of this planet. Across her back spread a lilac wing-like appendage of mangled flesh, covered in scars of ancient battles past.

Zack had studied the history of the creature extensively in the early years of his training. She had been found locked away deep in the bowels of the earth in a 2000 year old geological strata, its life placed around the time of the Cetra's destruction. She had been identified as an Ancient, but little did the majority know of the truth. Jenova had arrived from another world far off in the distant stars, crashing into the vast mountain ranges to the north, leaving a smoking crater, a vast scar upon the planet which never fully healed. She had set about destroying the Cetran civilisation, using her ability to change forms, pollute minds and corrupt the soil beneath her to bring the entire planet to its knees. Only by uniting as one massive force for the final cataclysmic battle that had sealed Jenova away did the Ancients achieve victory, although given the almost complete destruction of their race it could hardly be called victory.

Jenova's cells were implanted into all members of Soldier, granting them greatly enhanced strength, agility and magical talents. Only the strongest were able to survive the process, avoiding being consumed by Jenova's power. A single cell of her body contained all her powers, but Jenova's greatest power was that which professor Hojo had named the Reunion. Jenova could be split into individual cells and sent to the four corners of the globe. As long as those cells and her twisted alien core remained alive, they would eventually be able to recombine to regenerate her body in its entirety. She was more a virus than a creature, and destruction followed wherever her path led, her only goal her total dominion over all life in the universe.

"Tifa, take Aerith and get out of here. Get as far away as you can."

Tifa nodded and gestured for Aerith to follow her, but she remained steadfast. She wrapped her arms around her fiancée, tears rolling down her face as she sobbed on his shoulder.

"Promise me you'll come back. Promise me."

Zack turned briefly to look her in the eye, smiled, and kissed her lips gently. "I promise. Now go, it's not safe here. We'll handle this."

The girls turned and ran back down the stairs to the glass elevators that ran down the side of the tower all the way to the ground floor, pausing one last time at the doorway to cast their respective partners one last loving glance, and they were gone. The Soldiers now had nothing to fear. They raised their swords high, materia glowing in the encroaching darkness of the night sky, and charged with all their might into the wall of writhing flesh.

The girls ran through the Presidential office as fast as they could, hurtling down the stairs towards the elevators. They wanted to stay and fight, but the creature was far beyond anything they could handle. They had faith in the Soldiers to put an end to it all. The upper corridors were empty of life, the battle between the fiends and guards still blazing fiercely on the lower levels of the tower. The sounds of gunfire and screaming reverberated through the echoing halls like a chamber of torment in the depths of Hell itself.

The elevator was thankfully still functional, even if its thin glass structure didn't look the safest place to be. It was fast, but it had a very long way to go down. Aerith was struggling to stand, exhaustion and worry finally getting the better of her. She felt sick with the terrible sights that met her eyes through the glass of the elevator. The city below remained mostly unharmed, but winged fiends circled the bottom of the tower, oft clasping poor doomed guards in their talons. The guards seemed to have the upper hand for the most part, the fiend numbers dwindling slowly but surely, but the casualty count would be in triple digits at the very least before the day was over.

She thought of how much trouble she had been for everyone, simply by existing. Because she was an Ancient, a power she never wanted and couldn't hope to fully understand, she had been hounded all her life. Tifa had been beaten so the Turks could get to her. Zack had been forced to give up his entire life to save her, fighting people who had once been his colleagues. Death and destruction seemed to follow her everywhere she went. Sometimes she thought it might be easier to be alone, but the idea of not having Zack close to her filled her with fear and sorrow. Much as she hated the trouble her blood caused him, she loved him too much to let him go.

The bottom of the tower was ablaze with damaged computer terminals, the vast display screens that advertised the latest Shinra technologies to visitors had plummeted to the ground and shattered into tiny fragments. Broken glass, burning husks of machines and endless piles of papers littered the battlefield alongside the corpses of fiends and humans alike. They weaved through the chaos towards the main doors, running for the relative safety of the slums as fast as they could.

Harsh winds blasted the helipad as cold steel sliced through colder flesh. The ever-shifting form of their target shrieked and howled with every movement. Barbed tentacles whipped and slashed wildly as the swordsmen darted from side to side, their small frames and natural speed proving difficult to land a clean blow upon. Their blades found no such difficulty in striking the mass of wailing chaos before them, but having any real impact was more of a challenge. Nothing seemed to phase this beast, not even a direct hit with the Buster Sword had any real effect.

A burst of lightning rained down from the skies like holy judgement and struck at the hideous alien form as Cloud's materia glowed brighter than ever before, his focus reaching a new high and calling forth the true power of the magical crystal. Huge bolts struck at the pale flesh of his deadly foe, pulsing through her entire body and stunning her for a brief moment. Zack took the opportunity and leapt high into the air, calling on everything he had ever learned in all his adventures to unleash his power. His blade glowed wildly, almost out of control, as the power he had gained as Soldier coursed through him and coalesced at the tip, calling forth devastating magic as a shower of comets sprung into being from ancient times and pounded into Jenova's clammy form, sending it reeling in pain as Zack landed back on the pad, breathing heavily, his strength finally beginning to fail him after so much battle.

Jenova's icy voice echoed in his mind, urging him to cease his attack, her cells coursing through his body betraying him to return to their true master. His limbs refused to obey, his mind began to whirl with dark images of loved ones slain as the cackling laughter of pure evil filled his head. He cursed and dragged himself back to his feet, sheer grit allowing him to raise his sword once more. Charging back into the fray with all his might, he leapt to the aid of his friend as the battle continued.

As they ran through the panicked streets of the upper plate, tears streamed down Aerith's face. In her mind, she could feel his pain, his suffering, his struggle.

Breaking free of Tifa's grip, she knelt on the cold cobblestones, people rushing past her in utter chaos, and closed her eyes. She listened intently for the voice in her mind, as she always had, and began to pray.

Razor barbs dug deep into Cloud's flesh as his inexperience finally let him down, a mistimed evasive roll ending in a vicious whip attack striking his leg and tearing wildly at him. By sheer luck the wound was not too serious, but as it bled profusely he began to stumble and lose focus through the pain. His blade struck at the slimy base of the creature before him, but his weakening body lacked the raw power to force the edge through the chitin-like armour and he bounced away harmlessly, knowing they couldn't keep this up for long.

The familiar whirring of rotor blades filled the night air, and blinding light blasted at the battlefield from above as a Shinra helicopter whirled overhead. Jenova turned to face the latest distraction and the pilot opened fire, the heavy machine guns raking the helipad with thousands of armour-piercing rounds in a matter of a few seconds as the Soldiers leapt for cover. Cloud glanced up at the chopper to see none other than Tseng at the controls, his eternally calm demeanour still prevalent in the heat of battle as he sent a barrage of rockets and heavy machine gun fire into his enormous target. The landing pad shook as the warheads detonated, the shockwave almost knocking the Soldiers off their feet as their enemy reeled back. What passed as a chest on the alien beast was almost torn apart by the blast, gaping holes of singed flesh and broken bone finally presenting a viable target.

Zack gritted his teeth and hefted his Buster Sword high to deliver the final blow, rushing his target with a mind to kill. His arms betrayed him, Jenova's cells coursing through his Soldier body, unwilling to aid him further. His own strength proved insufficient, exhausted from endless battle and the array of cuts his foe had raked into his chest and arms with her barbed whips. His power failing him, he crashed to the floor as Jenova began to recover.

Cloud fought on bravely to defend his comrade, materia glowing in the night as he called upon the planet's powers to chill the air around his target even colder than the night air and wind chill had made her. Crystalline frost began to materialise around the slime and blood drenched base of Jenova's sickly form, locking her in place as the wall of ice grew to enormous proportions. His outstretched hands continued to glow as he called on all the powers he could muster, sending bolts of magical lightning into her exposed face, striking the metal band keeping Jenova's wispy white hair in check. The bolts slammed into her with astonishing force, and with a cry of pain Jenova's shoulder began mutating, a vast and demonic looking eye forcing its way through her skin. The eye flickered with azure light and sent a thin beam of pure energy slicing through the floor where Cloud had been mere moments before as he dove back to evade the attack. A second beam lanced out and slammed into the side of Tseng's chopper hovering overhead as he waited for a clean shot. Smoke billowed out of the engine housing and the helicopter broke away from the battle looking alarmingly unstable.

Zack groaned and focussed on his trusty healing spell, but once again his Jenova cells refused to allow it and the healing light would not come. He slammed his hands into the floor plates in a rage, buckling them. He wracked his brain for something, anything, any technique that would allow him to overcome his paralysis. Throughout all his training, his missions, all his trials and battles, his Jenova cells had obeyed his commands without question, granting him strength. He had never considered the possibility of them failing him so suddenly. Things had gotten so badly out of control so quickly.

A voice filled his head, and he braced himself for more torment from his foe's next mental onslaught, but it didn't come. This voice was soft, gentle, familiar and warming. He smiled as he felt warmth and energy fill him to the brim, his wounds knitting together under the influence of intense healing powers as a gentle wind flowed through his hair. He heard the voice of his beloved in his mind, restoring his confidence with kind words of support and images of the release from his life of battle he stood to gain with this one final victory. His body began to warm, answering to his commands again, the Jenova cells coursing through him battered into submission by the new power surging through him.

Her prayers had been answered.

Leaping to his feet, blade in hand and eyes blazing, he unleashed every screed of energy within him, calling on an ancient magic he had been told never to use. The bright green flash of the forbidden magic burst from him, careening into the frozen Jenova with an unearthly screech before detonating with unspeakable force. The shockwave tore through everything it touched, ripping Jenova's alien flesh to pieces, leaving it clinging barely to life as the blast threw Cloud back into the wall, slamming into the concrete with enough force to knock him out.

The gravely wounded creature howled and called upon the last of its power, sending a barrage of beam attacks scattering in all directions. Zack pushed himself above and beyond his limits and dashed between the blasts, so quick he was leaving after images as he ran at full speed at his enemy. With Aerith's power pulsing through every cell in his body, he leapt up high above his foe and dove back towards her, his mighty blade glowing with a haze of raw power as he focussed everything into one final attack. The edge of his blade cleaved Jenova clean in two, straight through the head as she finally breathed her last. He struck with such force that the steel of the helipad beneath her buckled without ever touching the blade, and as he withdrew his deadly weapon from her for the final time, a spray of dark blood covered the landing pad as the halves of Jenova split apart, her defeat now absolute.

With the very last of his strength, Zack spun his sword around his head, the blood clinging to it sent flying into the night, and returned it to the clasps on his back one final time.

It was finally all over.


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven – Aftermath**

His task finally completed, Zack felt the adrenaline fade. He took a deep breath and surveyed what remained of the battlefield. The helipad was totally destroyed, smashed into fragments with the force of the last impact. The thick concrete walls of the top floors were covered in deep gashes and drenched in the blood of the fallen. Jenova's lifeless corpse lay twitching in the night winds as its blood joined the already excessive pool. He spared a brief thought for the poor souls who would have to clean up this mess. Alien corpse fragments, fallen comrades, broken masonry and shattered glass lay all around him. He allowed himself a wry smile as he thought back to the collateral damage he no doubt caused on many of his missions.

Cloud groaned and struggled back to his feet, his head spinning as he looked upon the carnage. He stumbled over to his friend and comrade, wincing in pain from the myriad of cuts and bruises he sustained in the battle, his new uniform stained with blood, both his and his fallen adversary's. Zack patted him on the back, accidentally catching one of the many deep bleeding cuts across Cloud's shoulder, and smiled at his protégé.

"Not bad for your first day as a Soldier."

Making their way through the utter devastation of the now ruined Shinra tower, the last two Soldiers in the world looked upon the wreckage of what had been their home. Jenova's ascent through the tower had left nothing alive, and everyone below her containment cell had fled or been cut down by the waves of fiends at her command. The Turks had fought valiantly on the lower levels to bring an end to the chaos, but hadn't escaped entirely unharmed. Rude's beloved sunglasses had been shattered by the raking claws of a Shadow Creeper, carving a deep scar into his bald head and across his right eye. They stood in the lobby, their formerly immaculate black suits bloodied and covered in dirt, silent as the Soldiers passed them, knowing that their actions had led to this, at least in part. Tseng nodded his respect as his friend passed, but remained silent.

As they passed through what remained of the vast main doors at the front of the tower for what they suspected would be the last time, they paused to take one final breath as members of Soldier. This was truly the end of Shinra, with its executives either dead or running in shame, its infrastructure crippled and its reputation shattered. Soon enough the people of Midgar would take back the city for themselves. It would be a chaotic time in the city for many years until the inevitable power struggles came to an end and life could carry on, but in their minds they knew the end result of a free city where the people no longer had to live in fear of Shinra was worth the hard times ahead.

With Hojo dead, the twisted experiments that had cost countless innocent lives were finally ended, and with Jenova defeated beyond even the power of the Reunion, nobody could ever revive his twisted line of research. No longer would power-hungry dictators treat the people of this city as cattle. The Shinra military forces, now bereft of leadership, would likely offer its services to whoever took control in the next few months. As for the Turks, he couldn't be sure, but under Tseng's leadership Zack was certain they would find a way to atone for their actions.

With one last look at what remained of their former home, they turned away from the troubles of Shinra once and for all, walking away with no regrets, knowing that their last mission was completed. What happened now was up to the will of the people. They had to simply let the chips fall where they may. It wasn't their place to tell people what to do next. The people of Midgar had yearned for their freedom for years. Now they finally had it, nobody had the right to tell them what to do. Their destiny was in their hands now. It was time for the former Soldiers to embrace the peace they had fought so hard for.

In the months that followed, the people of Midgar banded together, taking control of their futures as the Soldiers had predicted. Tseng had taken control of what little remained of Shinra, disbanding the few remaining remnants of the biological weapons science division to ensure Hojo's evil was purged once and for all. The biological research facilities across the globe were destroyed, videos of their destruction made public to show the people of the world that Shinra's evil was truly gone forever. Shinra Tower itself was repaired and repurposed as housing for the homeless of Midgar, an orphanage and support facilities for the people of the city, finally becoming worthy of its status as a shining tower of light in the centre of the city.

Tseng made the controversial decision to make everything public about the company, from the truth about Sephiroth to the nature of the mako reactors, even his own activities with the Turks. Once the damaging nature of the reactor technology was revealed, the public demanded that the technology be examined and revised to minimise the drain on the planet. A group of coal miners from Corel had been called in as consultants to help create a more ethical energy source, and over many months Midgar gradually weaned itself off the eight mako reactors in favour of traditional energy facilities, facilitated by the discovery of a vast oilfield by one of the miners.

The mayor of Midgar had tried to reclaim his former power, but after years as a corporate puppet he found his reputation to be beyond repair in the eyes of the public and had grudgingly returned to his position as record keeper, helping newly elected mayor Tseng to trawl through Shinra's classified records for any hidden secrets that could pose a threat to the newfound peace. Tseng proved to be a born leader, his experience leading the Turks and his wide knowledge of the world and its people proving to transfer nicely into his new role, his honesty about the company's activities and dedication to erasing the sins of their past striking a chord with the voters. The former members of the Turks found new positions for themselves within Shinra Tower, Reno and Rude working to help Tseng bring in former scientists and executives for questioning, while Cissnei found herself drawn to working in the orphanage.

The Shinra military was largely disbanded, no longer necessary after Tseng was able to broker a historic peace accord between Midgar and their ancient enemies in Wutai. His admission of Shinra's guilt in many of the disagreements that had torn their countries apart for years helped to create a bond of honesty and trust, and by showing the utter destruction of Shinra's old ways and the new desire for peace, this bond was made strong enough to finally allow the two great nations to put their bitter history behind them and work for a brighter tomorrow, despite ceaseless protests by a tiny group of so-called 'freedom fighters' calling themselves the White Roses of Wutai.

While it was a tumultuous time for the city and indeed much of the world as Shinra's legacy was purged from the world, soon enough things began to settle down. Midgar's people worked together to rebuild the slums beneath the plate, ending the stigma and bringing the entire city closer, with people moving freely between the upper plate and lower levels. The numbered sectors regained their pride and retook their original names, long forgotten under Shinra's oppression. Though nothing was ever truly perfect, with the occasional rise of insurgent forces trying to rebuild Shinra's former glory for themselves, life was closer to a golden age than it ever had been.

History recorded the great irony of Midgar eventually becoming the paradise it had been created to become, but only after its visionary creators of the Shinra Corporation had been removed.

The gentle caress of the early morning sun shone through the beautiful stained glass windows, sending a shower of rainbow light onto the serenity of the newly restored church of what was once known as sector five. Tseng has insisted on making amends for the damage the Turks had caused, sparing no expense to see the ruins restored to their former beauty, though at the request of the church's custodian the flowerbeds had been left untouched, with the workers forbidden to set foot in them.

Resplendent in stunning locally made white gowns of elegant simplicity, two young women stood patiently at the altar. Tiny birds flitted about in the church rafters, chirping and singing a joyful song as the sweet scent of the flowers permeated the air. If there could be something pure enough to be called a perfect moment in time, this was as close as anyone would ever find.

The heavy oak doors parted slowly, and two young men strode forward, brimming with confidence in their immaculate suits, perfectly tailored solely for this occasion at the expense of Tseng and his own personal tailor. Taking their places opposite their beloveds, the former Soldiers smiled with a warmth that had been absent from their lives with Shinra.

Their endless battles had cost them dearly. Friends, family and comrades alike had all fallen. Those that remained had come from far and wide to bear witness, filing into the pews. Cissnei and the few surviving former comrades he had from his days as a Soldier had come to see Zack and Aerith finally tie the knot along with his parents from Gongaga, while Aerith's mother and the local children who had helped her tend her flowers had come to share in her joy. With most of Nibelhiem destroyed and its people murdered, Cloud and Tifa had few guests, but her martial arts master Zangan had come to give Tifa away, and a few of Cloud's squad mates from his time as a guard had come to wish him well.

As the minister finished his speech about the love between them and promises of the future, Zack held Aerith's hand and gazed lovingly into her eyes as he promised to be by her side forever, to make all her little wishes come true and to embrace their dreams together. Tears of joy welling in her eyes, she pledged her eternal love and all that she could ever be to him, thanking him for everything he had ever done and promising to bring joy to every day in her efforts to repay him.

Cloud stepped up to take the hand of the woman he had loved ever since he was a child, the woman he had joined Shinra in an effort to impress. As he promised to be her hero forever, and to keep every promise and be everything she could ever need, he thought to himself how only a few months before he was a nothing, a lowly guard who lacked the confidence to even be honest with her about it, hiding his face while he watched over her back in Nibelhiem. In such a short time he had grown so much, to the point where he could now stand proud as he gave his eternal love to the one person he couldn't live without.

As she elaborated on how he had always been her hero, even before he had come to her rescue in Nibelhiem, Tifa fought back the urge to cry. She had waited so long to be able to tell Cloud exactly how she felt, and as she spoke of everything she loved about him, she came to realise that words would never be enough to explain how much he meant to her. But she promised him that she would spend the rest of her life and everything beyond doing her best to show him.

As the rings were exchanged, Zack saw the faint outline of a familiar face in his peripheral vision. Though he refused to break eye contact with Aerith, he knew that his beloved mentor had come to show his pride in his protégé. He thought back on everything he had been taught by the ghostly Angeal as he faded from sight with an almost imperceptible nod of respect, and knew that he had done his old friend proud. He had embraced his dreams, become a hero, and protected his honour. Maybe not as Soldier, but as a man. He had found what truly mattered to him, his own values and sense of duty, and while he was technically a traitor to Soldier and Shinra as a whole, he knew in his heart that he had done the right thing.

The minister brought his final speech to a close, and in a moment that would live in their memories for eternity as absolute perfection, he introduced the assembled crowd to two new husbands and wives. The church erupted with joy as the couples embraced for their first of what was sure to be many perfect married kisses, and time itself seemed to stop, leaving them in bliss as the sunlight grew brighter.

The End.


End file.
